Research project Cell-type specific role of chromatin organization
Eukaryotic genomes are folded into high-order chromatin domains, which intrinsically affects all DNA-dependent processes. We study how chromatin architectural proteins regulate gene expression during dynamic developmental processes.
All cellular processes rely on the expression of the right set of genes at the right time and the right place. Chromatin architectural proteins regulate gene expression by modulating genome structure. Dysfunction of these regulators can lead to developmental abnormality and human diseases. In this project, we investigate principles of chromatin organization and address how genome structure influences cell fate decision through gene regulation during animal development. In particular, we study: 1) cell-specific role of chromatin organization controlled by a novel class of chromatin factors, the BEN proteins; 2) evolutionarily conserved functions of chromatin organization in neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. We utilize genetic, genomic and biochemical approaches and exploit our discovery from the invertebrate model Drosophila as an entry point to characterize candidate mechanisms in mammals.
Project members
Project managers
Qi Dai
University Lecturer
