Seminar Announcement After Birth

							Seminar Announcement

Epigenetic mechanisms in mammalian
genomic imprinting

Guest Speaker:
Dr Robert Feil
Institute of Molecular Genetics, CNRS and University of
Montpellier,
Montpellier, France

Host: Dr Ng Huck Hui

Date: 26 September 2008, Friday
Time: 11:00am – 12:00nn
Venue: Aspiration Theatrette, Matrix Level 2M

Abstract
In placental mammals, the maternally and paternally inherited
genomes are functionally not the same. They are both required
for the embryo’s development and well-being, throughout
gestation. The functional requirement of both the parental
genomes is a consequence of differential marking by DNA
methylation in the egg versus the sperm. These differential, germ
cell-derived marks on the chromosomes (the imprints) persist in
the developing embryo, and after birth, and convey the allelic
expression of genes from either their maternal or their paternal
copy. About a hundred genes are known to be controlled by this
epigenetic phenomenon called ‘genomic imprinting’. Imprinted
genes are clustered in the genome in large chromosomal domains,
which are highly conserved between mice and humans. Functional
studies in the mouse have shown for many imprinted genes that
they play key roles in foetal development and growth, others
influence behaviour after birth. Not surprisingly, therefore,
pathological perturbation of genomic imprinting gives rise to
growth-related and behavioural diseases in humans, and is
associated with cancer as well.
After introducing the biological significance of genomic imprinting,
I will present some of our recent research on the allelic control of
the sequence elements involved, and on the underlying molecular
mechanisms. Our group is particularly interested in the role and
regulation of histone lysine methylation, which we found to be
essential for imprinted gene expression in the trophoblast lineage,
and in developing neurones.


Best Regards,
Agnes Chee
Genome Institute of Singapore
60 Biopolis Street
#02-01, Genome
Singapore 138672
DID: 6478 8011 Fax: 6478 9053
Email:    chees@gis.a-star.edu.sg <mailto:chees@gis.a-star.edu.sg>
Website: http://www.gis.a-star.edu.sg <http://www.gis.a-star.edu.sg/>