Epigenetic Regulation of Genome Architecture in development – Presented by Dovetail Cantata [Video]

Dr. Giacomo Cavalli presented recent studies on the role of chromatin structures such as topologically associating domains (TADs) and chromatin loops in gene regulation, and the specific roles of epigenetic regulators like polycomb proteins. He discussed the organization of the genome into TADs, chromatin nanodomains, and compartments, and the formation of loops by CTCF, enhancer-promoter interactions, and polycomb proteins. He showed that polycomb proteins not only repress gene expression but also accompany active genes, indicating their dual role in maintaining cellular memory and facilitating differentiation. Additionally, he demonstrated that transient depletion of polycomb proteins can lead to an epigenetic cancer state, highlighting the importance of epigenetics in cancer development.

Key Points:

Genome organization into TADs, chromatin nanodomains, and compartments.
Formation of loops by CTCF, enhancer-promoter interactions, and polycomb proteins.
Dual role of polycomb proteins in gene repression and activation.
Transient depletion of polycomb proteins can lead to an epigenetic cancer state.
Importance of epigenetics in cancer development and cellular differentiation.
High-resolution MicroC technique for studying chromatin interactions at high resolution.