Interbands: Epigenetic mechanisms of the formation of domains and boundaries on interphase chromosomes

真核染色质的结构域组织是一种卓越的表观遗传现象。间期染色体的这种重要组织在细胞世代中遗传，被视为多线染色体上的带和带间的模式，在不同的组织和发育阶段可重复形成。带间的开放染色质是由具有特定结构和酶活性的蛋白质建立的，并由不受附近凝聚染色质影响的绝缘元件稳定。该项目的目的是研究带间特异性蛋白的相互作用及其在建立开放染色质结构中的作用。它们在染色体结构域边界形成和绝缘体元件形成中的分子功能将被揭示。我们将在果蝇基因组中建立一个模型位点，允许通过位点特异性重组交换DNA元素。在组织特异性过表达和RNA干扰诱导下，条带间蛋白的作用将在特定突变的存在下进行研究。

The domain organization of eukaryotic chromatin is an epigenetic phenomenon par excellence. This crucial organization of the interphase chromosome is inherited over cell generations and is seen as a pattern of bands and interbands on polytene chromosomes, which reproducibly form in different tissues and stages of development. The open chromatin of interbands is established by proteins with specific structural and enzymatic activities and is stabilized by elements insulating against influences of nearby condensed chromatin. The aim of the project is to study the mutual interaction of interband specific proteins and their role in establishing open chromatin structure. Their molecular functions in the formation of borders between chromosomal domains and in the formation of insulator elements shall be uncovered. We will establish a model site in the Drosophila genome which allows the exchange of DNA elements by site specific recombination. The role of interband proteins will be studied in the presence of specific mutations, following tissue specific overexpression and induction of RNA interference.