GEE Seminar - Prof. Vardhman Rakyan, Queen Mary, University London

Academic Host: Nazif Alic 
Abstract: How our genomes respond to stressful environments has a significant impact on health and disease states. Epigenetic down-regulation of ribosomal DNA has long been known to be a key stress response mechanism in all eukaryotes. We recently found that a suboptimal early-life environment results in increased DNA methylation at the rDNA promoter. This epigenetic response remains into adulthood and is restricted to rDNA copies associated with a specific genetic variant within the promoter. Our work identified environmentally induced epigenetic dynamics that are dependent on underlying genetic variation. We are now further characterising these effects in mouse models and extending our work to human populations. These experiments include cell biology, long-read sequencing, epigenomics, and computational biology.
How our genomes respond to stressful environments has a significant impact on health and disease states. Epigenetic down-regulation of ribosomal DNA has long been known to be a key stress response mechanism in all eukaryotes. We recently found that a suboptimal early-life environment results in increased DNA methylation at the rDNA promoter. This epigenetic response remains into adulthood and is restricted to rDNA copies associated with a specific genetic variant within the promoter. Our work identified environmentally induced epigenetic dynamics that are dependent on underlying genetic variation. We are now further characterising these effects in mouse models and extending our work to human populations. These experiments include cell biology, long-read sequencing, epigenomics, and computational biology.