Matthew Simon
Chemistry to annotate RNA and chromatin
Seminar
Thu, Feb. 29, 2024, 4:30pm
Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Room A32
Host: Tom Muir
Thu, Feb. 29, 2024, 4:30pm
Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Room A32
Host: Tom Muir
Research Area:
Abstract:
What chemistry does a cell use to annotate its genome? Often gene expression is controlled by chromatin modifications such as lysine acetylation and methylation. While acetylation and methylation were generally considered to be mutually exclusive on the same lysine sidechain, we recently discovered that lysine can be simultaneously acetylated and methylated, producing acetyl-methyllysine (Kacme). We found Kacme is an abundant modification that marks chromatin at the transcription start sites of active genes. We use RNA chemistry to dissect the transcriptional activities related to Kacme, providing new insight into chemical modifications that cells use to regulate gene expression.