In vivo CRISPR screening identifies geranylgeranyl diphosphate as a pancreatic cancer tumor growth dependency

Cancer cells must maintain lipid supplies for their proliferation and do so by upregulating lipogenic gene programs. The sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) act as modulators of lipid homeostasis by acting as transcriptional activators of genes required for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and uptake. SREBPs have been recognized as chemotherapeutic targets in multiple cancers, however it is not well understood which SREBP target genes are essential for tumorigenesis. In this study, we examined the requirement of SREBP target genes for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor growth.