Centre de Biologie du Développement

Transcriptional co-activators and ontogenesis

It has been shown recently that histone modifying enzymes regulate transcription by modifying not only histones but also proteins involved in transcription activation. In the lab, we are developing two major projects that are distinct but complementary. The first one deals with the analysis of the molecular consequence of the methylation of the histone acetyltransferase CBP (CREB Binding Protein) by the Protein Arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) CARM1 in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation. This aspect will be complemented by experiments aimed at finding specific partners for methylated CBP as well as finding, in a genome wide way, genes that are regulated by CBP methylation. The second part of the project is based on in vivo analyses of PRMT function(s) during vertebrate development, using the zebra fish model system.

The information that will come out of our work in each of these themes are complementary and will allow us to get some insights into the present hypotheses about the physiological role(s) of the PRMTs in normal and in pathological situations (loss of proliferation/differentiation balance).