Tetrahymena thermophila - a evolutionary divergent model to uncover novel mode of transcriptional regulation

生命之树是复杂而多样的。然而，来自Opisthokonts分支的一些已建立的模型主导了科学研究，阻止了社区从我们周围的生物多样性中学习。为了解决这一问题，我们建立了纤毛虫原生动物嗜热四膜虫作为生物学研究的有效模型系统。嗜热四膜虫的独特之处在于它将遗传信息包裹在两个细胞核中，一个细胞核用于生长，另一个细胞核用于有性生殖。此外，嗜热四膜虫采用进化分化的分子机制来调节其基因组物质的使用。因此，嗜热四膜虫（Tetrahymena thermophila）——我们是加拿大专家——非常适合于发现调节遗传信息使用和储存的新模式。在我们的研究项目范围内，我们将重点研究介导蛋白质之间物理关联的一个关键结构域，即溴结构域。溴结构域是负责读取细胞中乙酰化赖氨酸标记的蛋白质结构域。在我们的项目中，我们将使用最先进的工具来定义细胞中溴结构域的靶标，它们如何与这些靶标结合，以及这些相互作用在嗜热四膜虫中有什么功能。在这样做的过程中，除了加强我们对如何使用和存储遗传信息的理解之外，我们还将用包括分子生物学、生物化学和组学技术在内的多样化课程培养下一代加拿大科学家。

The tree of life is complex and diverse. Yet, a few established models from the Opisthokonts clade, dominate scientific research preventing the community from learning from the biological diversity present around us. To address this problem, we have established the ciliate protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila as an effective model system for biological research. Tetrahymena thermophila is unique since it encloses its genetic information within two nuclei, one of which is employed for growth and the other for sexual reproduction, in a single cell. Additionally, Tetrahymena thermophila employs evolutionary divergent molecular machinery to regulate the use of its genomic material. As such, Tetrahymena thermophila, a model with which we are the Canadian experts, is perfectly suited to the discovery of novel modes of regulating the use and storage of genetic information.Within the scope of our research project, we will focus our efforts on one key domain mediating physical association between proteins, namely bromodomain. Bromodomain is the protein domain responsible for reading acetylated lysine marks in the cells. In our project, we will employ state-of-the-art tools to define what are the targets of bromodomains in cells, how they engage these targets and what are the functions of these interactions in Tetrahymena thermophila. In so doing, we will train the next generation of Canadian scientists with a diverse curriculum including molecular biology, biochemistry and omics technologies in addition to enhancing our understanding of how genetic information is used and stored.