“How do cells use their DNA to change behaviour?”
Cells need to know how to change their behaviour and functionality based on their environment.
Parts of our genome codes the production of molecules that then re-engage with DNA to express other genomic areas. These molecules may interact with the DNA directly, or with proteins that attach to DNA to support it.
Examples include transcription factors, that tells the DNA directly how to unwind to produce proteins. Other molecules are called nucleosomes and histones – these are structures that attach to DNA and can control transcription factor access and effect.
This complex network of molecules is called the epigenome, and it allows for DNA expression and cell function to change as needed in time and space. The study of these structures and their effects is called epigenomics.
Our team is interested in how the epigenome functions and shapes cell development, and what happens when things go wrong.
What the team are doing and how they are doing it
We look at the genome as a whole using a number of high-throughput genomic techniques – techniques that can rapidly determine the sequence of millions of DNA molecules at a time. We use the genomes of animal models including Drosophila and zebrafish.
We use computational analysis of these data sets to identify patterns and test hypotheses.
Real world implications
The disruption of the epigenome can lead to a number of developmental disorders and diseases such as cancer. If we can uncover more about the functioning of these mechanisms, we may be able to better understand the cause of the associated diseases.
