Award details

BBSRC DTA Studentship: Development of an unbiased assay to assess global nuclear organization

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000L969
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Peter Fraser
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	66,161
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2004
End date	30/09/2007
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Every human cell contains over 25,000 genes. This massive amount of genetic material must be squeezed into the cell nucleus. Each particular cell-type uses only a fraction of its genes at any one time and packages the unused DNA into a tightly folded compact structure. As organisms develop individual cells must change their repertoire of active genes to suit new roles in the various tissues of the body. Therefore some of the stored DNA has to be unpacked or opened up so that new genes can be used while other areas containing previously used genes are compressed. However, simply decondensing genes is not sufficient for expression. Many genes require an interaction with long-range control elements often located at considerable distances along the chromosome. In addition, active genes must migrate to shared functional subcompartments in the nucleus that are enriched with the factors required to turn a gene on. This highly-organised, dynamic shuffling of genetic material is the focus of research in our laboratory. In this project we will develop a new technique to analyze interaction networks between active genes in the nuclear space. The results will be vitally important in increasing our basic knowledge of the regulation of gene expression and provide insight into the functional organization and control of the genome.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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