RCN: Epigenetics, Behavior and Reproduction

RCN：表观遗传学、行为和生殖

• 批准号: 1049849
• 负责人: Jeffrey Smith
• 金额: $ 41.83万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-04-01 至 2016-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1049849&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RCN; Epigenetics; Behavior; Reproduction

One of the most significant advances in Biology in the past 10 years is the development of the field of Epigenetics. Epigenetics literally means ?above the gene? and it describes a set of mechanisms whereby changes in gene structure can occur in an organism without any alternations to the DNA sequence, the building blocks of the genetic code. The mechanisms by which these changes occur are still unclear, but they include biochemical modifications to proteins that spool DNA into compacted spheres allowing the packaging of the long strands of DNA into cell nuclei. These changes are dynamic and are prevalent throughout embryonic development and can also occur in response to environmental stimuli. Another important process that occurs during embryonic development is the specification of gender differences in how male and female brains become organized. Early indications in this area of research suggest that factors that cause these brain changes are also part of the epigenetic machinery in cells, but few studies have brought these two research fields together in a cohesive manner. The immediate objective of this Research Coordinating Network (RCN) on Epigenetic Approaches to Sex Differences is to develop a structured framework whereby Behavioral and Molecular Biologists along with Bioinformaticians and Geneticists can collaborate directly using state-of-the art technology to address emerging questions focusing on the intersections between epigenetic mechanisms and gender differences of brain development. To achieve this we will hold a yearly meeting, develop a website to share information and protocols, and encourage students to move between laboratories to learn new techniques. The potential impact of the work includes novel insights into how the genders respond differentially to their environments. For example, women are apparently more susceptible to post-traumatic stress syndrome than men are after serving in combat. Thus, work from this RCN may help to explain how differences in cellular responses to stress influence important gender discrepancies in physiology and/or behavior.

生物学在过去10年中最重要的进展之一是表观遗传学领域的发展。表观遗传学的字面意思是？在基因之上？它描述了一套机制，使基因结构的变化可以在生物体中发生，而DNA序列（遗传密码的基石）没有任何改变。这些变化发生的机制尚不清楚，但它们包括对蛋白质的生化修饰，这些蛋白质将DNA缠绕成紧凑的球体，允许将长链DNA包装成细胞核。这些变化是动态的，在整个胚胎发育过程中普遍存在，也可以在对环境刺激的反应中发生。 胚胎发育过程中发生的另一个重要过程是男性和女性大脑如何组织的性别差异。这一研究领域的早期迹象表明，导致这些大脑变化的因素也是细胞中表观遗传机制的一部分，但很少有研究将这两个研究领域结合在一起。这个研究协调网络（RCN）的直接目标是发展一个结构化的框架，使行为和分子生物学家沿着生物信息学家和遗传学家可以直接使用最先进的技术，以解决新兴的问题集中在大脑发育的表观遗传机制和性别差异之间的交叉点。为了实现这一目标，我们将举行年度会议，开发一个网站来分享信息和协议，并鼓励学生在实验室之间移动，学习新技术。这项工作的潜在影响包括对性别如何对环境做出不同反应的新见解。例如，在战斗中服役后，妇女显然比男子更容易患创伤后应激综合症。因此，这项RCN的工作可能有助于解释细胞对压力反应的差异如何影响生理和/或行为中的重要性别差异。