Epigenetic inheritance and reprogramming in early mammalian development
Fertilization triggers drastic epigenetic reprogramming that converts terminally differentiated oocyte and sperm to totipotent embryos. However, how chromatin is reprogrammed at the DNA level in early mammalian development is poorly understood. Furthermore, whether histone modifications, the crucial epigenetic regulators, can be passed on from parents to the next generation is a long-standing question that remains elusive. By developing cutting-edge technologies, we recently investigated dynamic regulation of chromatin and histone modifications from gametes to early embryos in mice. In addition, we also showed how parental memory is controlled by a simple isoform switch of an epigenetic regulator. Our studies not only revealed extremely dynamic, non-canonical epigenomic reprogramming that accompanies early embryogenesis, but also shed lights on the fundamental principles underlying epigenetic inheritance between generations.
Date: 28 February 2017, 14:00 (Tuesday, 7th week, Hilary 2017)
Venue: Old Road Campus Research Building, Headington OX3 7DQ
Venue Details: Ludwig Basement Seminar Room
Speaker: Dr Wei Xie (School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University)
Organising department: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Oxford Branch
Organiser: Dr Chunxiao Song (Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: mary.muers@ludwig.ox.ac.uk
Host: Dr Chunxiao Song (Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oxford)
Part of: Ludwig Institute Seminar Series
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Mary Muers