Moelcular baiss for the maintenance of the epigenome and its failure

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25291078
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Genetics/Chromosome dynamics
• Research Institution: Kinki University (2014-2015); Kyushu University (2013)
• Principal Investigator: SADO Takashi 近畿大学, 農学部, 教授 (70321601)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス / ヘテロクロマチン / 不活性X染色体 / マウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We attempted to study the molecular mechanism for the maintenance of epigenetic gene regulation by SmcHD1, which was suggested to be independent of more general polycomb group proteins. SmcHD1 was initially assumed to be involved in the maintenance of the inactivated X chromosome. Knockout of both copies of Smchd1 in embryonic fibroblasts, which stably maintain the X-inactivated state, did not affected genes on the inactive X, suggesting that the X-inactivated state could be maintained in the absence of SmcHD1. SmcHD1 may rather play a role in the process of the establishment of X-inactivation by creating an appropriate chromatin environment required for the maintenance, and may be dispensable for the maintenance once such an environment was established.

Free Research Field

遺伝学