Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EpiRIME (Epigenetic Reprogramming, Inheritance and Memory: Dissect epigenetic transitions at fertilisation and early embryogenesis)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-01-01 do 2022-06-30
Fertilisation and early embryogenesis are the foundations of life. Despite much progress in developmental biology, it remains unclear i) how terminally differentiated gametes are reprogrammed to totipotency ii) what is the content and extent of epigenetic information carried from the gametes to the next generation iii) how the de-novo epigenome is established in the early embryo.
The goal of the lab is to break new ground by unravelling the mechanisms that regulate (i) epigenetic reprogramming of gametes, (ii) germline epigenetic inheritance, and (iii) de novo establishment of epigenetic memory. We use Drosophila early embryo as a model system.
These mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved, thus our discoveries will open the way for translational research and novel studies of early embryogenesis that could be applied to vertebrate models.
The goal of the lab is to break new ground by unravelling the mechanisms that regulate (i) epigenetic reprogramming of gametes, (ii) germline epigenetic inheritance, and (iii) de novo establishment of epigenetic memory. We use Drosophila early embryo as a model system.
These mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved, thus our discoveries will open the way for translational research and novel studies of early embryogenesis that could be applied to vertebrate models.
During the period covered by this report, my lab made major inroads trying to understand the role of chromatin in controlling the zygotic genome activation and the establishment of the 3D genome organisation. The results from this research were published in two manuscripts:
Histone variant H2AZ regulates zygotic genome activation.
Ibarra-Morales D., Rauer M., Quarato P., Rabbani L., Zenk F., Schulte-Sasse M.,
Cecere C., Iovino N.
Nature Communications, 2021
and
HP1 drives de novo 3D genome reorganization in early Drosophila embryos.
Zenk F., Zhan Y., Kos P., Löser E., Atinbayeva N., Schächtle M., Tiana G.,
Giorgetti L., Iovino N .
Nature, 2021
Histone variant H2AZ regulates zygotic genome activation.
Ibarra-Morales D., Rauer M., Quarato P., Rabbani L., Zenk F., Schulte-Sasse M.,
Cecere C., Iovino N.
Nature Communications, 2021
and
HP1 drives de novo 3D genome reorganization in early Drosophila embryos.
Zenk F., Zhan Y., Kos P., Löser E., Atinbayeva N., Schächtle M., Tiana G.,
Giorgetti L., Iovino N .
Nature, 2021
By the end of the project, we aim at identifying the complete network of chromatin factors that regulate and drive successful fertilisation and early embryo development.