Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Molekulare Zellbiologie/ Molecular Cell Biology

Research

Epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation

 

 

 

 


Our epitranscriptomics work investigates how chemical modifications of RNA, particularly tRNA, influence translational efficiency and fidelity. We are especially interested in how cells dynamically utilize these modifications in both time and space to adapt their translational programs to environmental changes. We study the temporal sequence in which modifications are installed, as well as their spatial arrangement on the tRNA molecule, to uncover the regulatory networks that coordinate these processes. To this end, we develop and apply advanced methodologies such as nanopore direct RNA sequencing. These efforts aim to elucidate how dysregulation of tRNA modifications contributes to human diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, and how pathogens manipulate these pathways to promote infection. This provides links to the groups at IfB working in the fields of infection biology and neurobiology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our research in epigenetics seeks to understand how DNA is packaged into chromatin within the eukaryotic nucleus, and how posttranslational modifications of histones and chromatin-associated proteins regulate gene expression and silencing in a spatially and temporally controlled manner. We are particularly interested in the structure and function of chromatin complexes, which we investigate using cryo-electron microscopy, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and high-throughput sequencing approaches. In addition, we study posttranslational modifications of the centromeric histone H3 variant, CENP-A, and their role in modulating protein-protein interactions at the kinetochore, a key structure for accurate chromosome segregation. Collectively, our work aims to uncover fundamental principles of genome organization and regulation, with an emphasis on how epigenetic modifications operate across both spatial and temporal dimensions.