03-DYNA-F-20: Control of stress and interferon regulated gene expression by transcription factors, histone modification and nuclear compartmentalisation
Abstract:
The precise regulation of gene expression in response to extracellular stimuli plays a key role in life and biological diversity. Specific transcription factors, general transcription machinery, histone modifying enzymes, chromatin remodeling complexes, as well as nuclear architecture all have roles in gene transcription. How these individual events are coordinated in time and space, and integrated into appropriate transcriptional responses is a challenging yet unresolved question. We will address this issue using as a model the transcription of stress and interferon regulated genes. Both signalling pathways can be activated by independent stimuli and may therefore be studied separately. However, under physiological conditions, the stress and interferon signalling cascades are often activated simultaneously resulting in enhanced transcriptional responses. This synergism is essential for defense against pathogens and in tumor surveillance. Our studies on the order, location and contribution of stress and interferon-induced changes in chromatin modification and nuclear architecture will improve our understanding of the regulation of gene expression and open up new possibilities to combat diseases, such as cancer and infections. The availability of cells and animals with specific genes of the stress and interferon pathways inactivated will enable us to test the working hypotheses under physiological conditions.
Project Leader:
Dr. Pavel Kovarik
Vienna Biocenter
Institute of Microbiology and Genetics
1030 Vienna Austria
Phone:+43 1 4277 54608
Fax:+43 1 4277 9546
Email
Principal Investigator
Pavel Hozák, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Prague, CZ
Associated Partner:
Angel Nebreda, EMBL, Heidelberg, DE
ESF provides the scientific, administrative and technical secretariat for COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).