Speaker: A. J. Marian Walhout, Program in Gene Function and Expression and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Time: 12pm-1:30pm, Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Place: 321 Stanley Hall
Abstract:
The differential expression of each of our ~25,000 genes in different tissues
or under different conditions is critical for our proper development and
function. Indeed, changes in differential gene expression caused by mutations
in transcription factors (TFs) or the cis-regulatory genomic DNA elements they
bind to (TF binding sites, or TFBSs) can result in a variety of human diseases,
including several congenital disorders and cancer. In order to fully understand
both normal development and pathologies, and to design effective therapeutics
it is critical to understand which TF regulates the expression of which gene,
where and under which (developmental) conditions. In addition, it is essential
to know the elements each TF binds to and where in the genome these TFBSs are
located. This is a major challenge in genomic science as very little is known
about the targets, binding sites, transcriptional activity and biological
function for the majority of metazoan TFs. We use the nematode C.
elegans
(worm) as a model to address this challenge. The C. elegans genome contains
~20,000 protein-coding genes, 940 of which we predict encode regulatory TFs. We
use a combination of experimental and computational approaches to
comprehensively map and characterize the protein-DNA interactions between all
C. elegans TFs and all gene regulatory regions, and the networks that connect
these interactions. I will discuss our progress toward this goal.
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