The role of intergenic transcripts in the epigenetic control of rRNA gene transcription

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Ingrid Grummt
• Subject Area: Cell Biology
• Term: from 2002 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5370138

Ribosomal genes exist in two distinct types of chromatin, an "open" one that is permissive to transcription and a "closed" one that is transcriptionally refractive. The mechanisms that maintain the ratio of active vs. silent rDNA repeats are poorly understood, but silencing is one of the factors that influences transcriptional activity. Perturbation of rDNA silencing has been implicated in aging and human hereditary diseases. The goal of this project is to understand the relationship between DNA methylation, transcriptional activity and the proteins that mediate silencing of the rDNA locus. Our project will focus on (i) the molecular mechanisms that mediate methylation-dependent silencing of rDNA (ii) the involvement of histone modifications on rRNA synthetis, and (iii) the role of ATRX protein in epigenetic regulation of ribosomal gene transcription. In the long term, these studies will lead to an understanding of the mechanisms that propagate the active and silent state of rRNA genes through cell division and will reveal how epigenetic defects cause human diseases.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1129: Epigenetics
• Participating Person: Dr. Christine Mayer