Examensarbete i Molekylärgenetik 20 p Role of chromatin modifications in controlling cell growth

In multi-cellular organisms most cells adopt a quiescent, non-growing state. Transition of cells to the growing state is tightly controlled in healthy individuals and defects in this process represent the first step in the development of cancer. We suggested recently that c-Myc, a known coordinator of global chromatin structure, is a high-level regulator of cell growth by virtue of its ability to control production of the protein synthesis machinery (Arabi et al, 2005).

We are using the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, as a model system to study the role of chromatin modifications in controlling entry of quiescent cells into the growth cycle. These simple eukaryotic cells function similarly to our own cells and can be studied with powerful genetic and genomic approaches. Our data show that mutant quiescent cells lacking the Gcn5 histone acetyltransferase, that acetylates chromatin, are defective in entering the growth state. The purpose of the proposed project is to study the role of Gcn5 in growth regulation in more detail and to consider how the results might be applied to human cells and cancer. Methods include cell growth and viability assays, mRNA isolation, Real-time PCR and microscopy.

Arabi A, Wu S, Ridderstråle K, Bierhoff H, Shiue C, Fatyol K, Fahlén S, Hydbring P, Söderberg O, Grummt I, Larsson L-G, Wright APH (2005) c-Myc associates with ribosomal DNA and activates RNA polymerase I transcription. Nature Cell Biol. 7:303-310.
Interested?
Email CV, grades and references to [email protected] preferably by April 20th.
For questions, contact Anna Johnsson at 08-608 4709.
Check out our website
http://natvet.sh.se/wright_lab/