Participants: de Laat and Pombo

Chromatin architecture is an emerging key contributor to genomic function. For example, individual genes may move to specific nuclear locations to allow changes in their transcription status, or meet each other at dedicated sites for their transcription. Genomic organization is also associated with the coordination of replication, recombination and the probability of loci to translocate (which can lead to malignancies) and the setting and resetting of epigenetic program according to specific transcription factor functions. A comprehensive picture of nuclear organization is needed to better understand cellular identity and the process of differentiation, as it occurs during normal and abnormal (e.g. cancer) development. This section of the ITN aims to address the 3D organization of gene interactions and activity. It also brings together a number of questions related to the role of transcription factors and epigenetic modifiers in establishing the 3D configuration of domains of gene activity and of epigenetic states.

Specific projects:

•    Functional significance of nuclear architecture by 4C technology (de Laat)
•    Role of poised RNA polymerase II complexes in genome architecture and epigenetic regulation in ES cell differentiation (Pombo)

Contribution of Industrial and Associated partners