3/15 – Elissa P. Lei, National Institutes of Health
CBQB Seminar
March 15, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Address
Chicago, IL
Calendar
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Title: Tissue-specific regulation of 3D genome organization in Drosophila
Abstract: It has become increasingly apparent that proper control of gene expression requires complex organization of DNA at the level of chromatin. We study how genome organization contributes to regulation of gene expression, which ultimately determines how a single genome can give rise to a myriad of distinct cell types with different functions and properties. Our primary model system is Drosophila melanogaster, which harbors powerful genetics, biochemistry, imaging, and genomics approaches as well as a number of well-characterized cell lines derived from a variety of tissues and stages of development. We take a multidisciplinary approach to tackle these fundamental biological questions.
Chromatin insulators are DNA-protein complexes that influence gene expression by establishing chromatin domains subject to distinct transcriptional controls, likely through alteration of their spatial organization. Insulators enforce the strict specific and temporal expression of loci with complex enhancer and/or promoter configuration. Loss of insulator activity can result in substantial positive or negative changes in gene expression, culminating in disease, defects in development, and/or lethality. In today’s presentation, I will discuss my lab’s recent findings regarding the interplay between transcription and chromatin insulator activity and their relationship with genome organization. I will also present evidence for a novel chromatin anti-looping factor that regulates tissue-specific gene expression in the developing central nervous system.
Date posted
Jan 14, 2021
Date updated
Mar 4, 2021