Poster abstracts
Poster number 92 submitted by Zhiyuan Meng
Determine how pioneer transcription factors CBF1 recognizes and regulates nucleosome dynamics
Zhiyuan Meng (Biophysics Program), Priit Eek (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Penn state university.)
Abstract:
Gene regulation is essential for cell proliferation and differentiation. In eukaryotic cells, many transcription factors (TFs), as well as transcription machinery, compete with nucleosomes to access their genomic targets. This process is facilitated by a special group of TFs called “pioneer factors” (PFs).[1] PFs can invade compact chromosomes[2], remodel nucleosomes near their binding sites, direct the binding of other TFs, and trigger the transcription. Despite their essential functions, we lack understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the activity and function of PFs. The overall goal of my research is to try to answer the questions: 1) how do pioneer transcription factor recognize their binding sites inside the compact nucleosomes to facilitate the chromatin opening? 2) What differentiates the PF compared to TF to make it has higher affinity to the nucleosome? 3) How do possible regulate the PFs and TFs? Multiply biophysical methods including ensemble fluorescence resonance energy Transfer(FRET), single molecular FRET, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) experiments will be applied into the research.
References:
[1] Zaret KS, Lerner J, Iwafuchi-Doi M. Chromatin Scanning by Dynamic Binding of Pioneer Factors. Mol Cell 2016:665–7.
[2] Zhou B-R, Jiang J, Feng H, Ghirlando R, Xiao TS, Bai Y. Structural Mechanisms of Nucleosome Recognition by Linker Histones. Mol Cell 2015;59:628–38.
Keywords: Pioneer Factors, FRET, chromatin