Chromatin-based Epigenetic Inheritance. Lessons from the Centromere
The centromere is a unique specialized chromatin domain responsible for driving chromosome segregation. Remarkably, the centromere complex is maintained epigenetically, largely independent of direct in cis DNA sequence information. We are interested in discovering the mechanism of inheritance of non-DNA sequence-based information and use the centromere as a vehicle to do this. Using fluorescent pulse labeling methods we show that the centromeric histone H3 variant CENP-A generates an extremely stable chromatin structure, which is unique to this histone, consistent with providing epigenetic identity to the centromere. Replenishment of new CENP-A is tightly coupled to the cell cycle ensuring synchrony between cell division and centromere propagation. I will present our current efforts to understand how centromeres are established, maintained and fatefully replicated.
Date: 20 November 2018, 14:00 (Tuesday, 7th week, Michaelmas 2018)
Venue: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road OX1 3RE
Venue Details: EPA Seminar Room
Speaker: Dr Lars Jansen (Dept of Biochemistry, University of Oxford)
Organising department: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
Organiser: Melissa Wright (Sir William Dunn School of Pathology)
Organiser contact email address: melissa.wright@path.ox.ac.uk
Host: Dr Ulrike Gruneberg (University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology )
Part of: Dunn School of Pathology Research Seminars
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Melissa Wright