U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: Mechanisms of Chromatin-Mediated Repression in Early Meiotic Genes in Yeast

0003279mitchell该奖项支持哥伦比亚大学Aaron Mitchell教授和日本东京meiisei大学Mitsuhiro Shimizu教授为期三年的合作研究项目。研究人员将对酵母菌早期减数分裂基因中染色质介导的抑制机制进行研究。该研究的目的是了解遗传转录机制如何响应染色质结构的变化。染色质是蛋白质和DNA的复合体，构成真核生物的染色体。蛋白质成分主要是组蛋白，这是一种进化上保守的蛋白质，它覆盖在DNA上，几乎没有序列特异性。染色质长期以来一直被认为影响基因的表达，并且已经探索了染色质可能控制基因表达的几种生化机制。提出的研究直接考察了染色质可能影响基因表达的两种机制。研究主要集中在酵母减数分裂调控中的两种酵母抑制因子Rme1p和Ume6p。该项目汇集了两个具有互补专业知识和研究能力的实验室的努力。研究人员希望了解抑制因子如何在相当距离（2Kbp）上影响几种转录激活因子的活性，以及近端组蛋白去乙酰化酶如何抑制启动子活性。本研究结果对了解植物和动物的转录抑制具有一定的指导意义。通过思想和技术的交流，该项目将扩大我们的基础知识基础，促进国际了解与合作。研究人员计划在科学期刊上发表研究结果，并在科学会议上报告研究结果。

0003279MitchellThis award supports a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Aaron Mitchell, Columbia University and Professor Mitsuhiro Shimizu of Meisei University in Tokyo, Japan. The researchers will be undertaking a study of mechanics of chromatin-mediated repression in early meiotic genes in yeast. The objective of the study is to understand how the genetic transcriptional machinery responds to changes in chromatin structure. Chromatin is the complex of protein and DNA that comprises eukaryotic chromosomes. The protein constituents are largely histones, an evolutionarily conserved group of proteins that coat DNA with little sequenced specificity. Chromatin has long been thought to affect the expression of genes, and several biochemical mechanisms by which chromatin may govern gene expression have been explored. Proposed studies examine directly two mechanisms by which chromatin may influence gene expression. The studies focus on two yeast repressors, Rme1p and Ume6p, that function in regulation of meiosis in yeast. The project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. The researchers hope to learn how a repressor can act over a substantial distance (2Kbp) to affect activity of several transcriptional activators and how does a proximal histone deacetylase inhibit promoter actifity. Results of this research should be applicable to the understanding of transcriptional repression in plants and animals. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. The researchers plan to publish results of the research in scientific journals and report on the findings at scientific meetings.