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M o l e c u l a r E p i g e n e t i c s 14 “We aim to understand the elusive roles of ncRNA during DNA repair and ageing.” Holger Richly Education 2000 Diploma in Biochemistry, Ruhr University, Bochum 2005 PhD in Biochemistry, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich Positions held 2005 - 2011 Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Since 2011 Group Members Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (<strong>IMB</strong>), Mainz Jonathan Byrne / PhD student; since 08/2011 Katerina Gracheva / PhD student; since 08/2011 Fabian Jung / Research Assistant; since 09/2012 Thaleia Papadopoulou / PhD student; since 10/2011 Stephanos Papaefstathiou / Research Technician; since 10/2011 Mieun Lee Theilen / Postdoc; 05/2012 – 12/2012 Thomas Wilhelm / PhD student; since 11/2011 Research Overview Epigenetic modifications are a hallmark of gene regulation and thus govern a wide range of biological processes. We are interested in revealing the molecular interplay of chromatin-modifying proteins, chromatin-reading proteins and epigenetic marks to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell differentiation, ageing and DNA repair. It is intriguing how the environment impacts on epigenetic regulation and we therefore study how signalling pathways crosstalk with chromatin. Central to our research is the question of how epigenetic components are recruited to chromatin and how epigenetic marks are specifically read (Figure 1). Our research makes use of next-generation-sequencing, chromatin biochemistry, high<strong>resolution</strong>-microscopy, C. elegans biology and genetics, and aims to understand the molecular orchestration of epigenetic events. Research Highlights Epigenetic mechanisms of stem cell differentiation ncRNAs have been called the dark matter of the genome due to their abundance and very poorly understood function. We have focused on the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) at the onset of embryonic stem cell differentiation. We have identified different ncRNA protein complexes that fulfil specific functions in reprogramming the epigenome during the differentiation of stem cells. We are currently characterizing these complexes and their physiological role in more detail to unravel genome-wide functions of lncRNAs. Our aim is to elucidate molecular mechanisms of gene activation that rely on the action of ncRNA protein complexes.
I M B a n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 2 Impact of epigenetic components during UV-type DNA repair Research on DNA repair has classically been devoted to investigating the protein complexes involved in repairing DNA lesions. Our research targets DNA repair in the context of chromatin and the epigenetic events that occur during UV-type DNA repair. Lately, we have elucidated a novel molecular mechanism demonstrating how DNA repair is carried out at chromatin. Our research illustrates a finetuned orchestration of epigenetic components that work in concert with specific DNA repair protein complexes. Our work also sheds light on how ubiquitylation signals govern the regulation of epigenetic components and repair factors. The main goal of this project is to understand the complex interplay of chromatin and DNA repair factors and to decode the meaning of differently linked ubiquitinchains that decorate epigenetic components as well as DNA repair proteins. Epigenetic determinants of ageing Ageing is certainly one of the most interesting but less understood processes of multi-cellular organisms. Although in the last decade great advances have been made highlighting particular determinants of ageing, the contribution of epigenetic mechanisms is still elusive. Nematodes can be considered a model organism for ageing research and have been utilized in screenings to reveal genes that regulate the lifespan of the animal. We have set out to study the epigenetic landscape of C. elegans during ageing. The central questions in this project consist of which epigenetic components govern the ageing of nematodes and how these components are interpreted in the organism over their lifespan. We have therefore used several high-throughput next-generation techniques to get insights into the epigenetic landscape of organismal ageing. Table of Contents Foreword Research Groups Core Facilities Facts and Figures 15 Figure 1. The environment provides stimuli that lead to the activation of signalling cascades and ultimately the recruitment of epigenetic components to chromatin, which is concomitantly decorated by epigenetic marks. The latter are recognized by specific proteins (readers) that transmit the epigenetic signal to downstream factors. Future directions Further to our findings concerning the impact of ncRNAs in stem cell differentiation, we and others have discovered a role for RNA at chromatin during DNA repair. Also the process of ageing seems to be accompanied by specific functions of various classes of RNA. We will set out to understand the so far elusive roles of ncRNA species in these physiological processes. Selected Publications Richly H, Aloia L and Di Croce L (2011). Roles of the Polycomb group proteins in stem cells and cancer. Cell Death & Disease, 2, e204. Richly H and Di Croce L (2011). The flip side of the coin. Role of ZRF1 and histone H2A ubiquitination in transcriptional activation. Cell Cycle, 10, 745-750. Richly H, Rocha-Viegas L, Ribeiro JD, Demajo S, Gundem G, Lopez-Bigas N, Nakagawa T, Rospert S, Ito T and Di Croce L (2010). Transcriptional activation of polycomb-repressed genes by ZRF1. Nature, 468, 1124-1128.
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