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MSc Exit Seminar – Nakisa Malek-Gilani (Mitchell lab)
September 14, 2016 @ 10:10 am - 10:40 am
MSc Exit Seminar
Wednesday September 14th, 10:10 am – Ramsay Wright Building, Rm. 432
Nakisa Malek-Gilani (Mitchell lab)
“The Importance of Cell Specific Transcription Factors in Sox2 Regulation, Conservation and Reprogramming“
Abstract
The Sox2 gene codes for a HMG box transcription factor that is critical for the self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Although Sox2 is expressed in ES cells the cell-type specific regulation of Sox2 transcription is only just being investigated; with a distal Sox2 Control Region (SCR) recently being discovered. The aim of this study was to expand on the knowledge of SCR enhancer activity, specifically the role of cell specific transcription factor binding in the region. The main finding of this study was two clusters of ES cell specific transcription factor binding motifs conferring enhancer activity to active regions within the SCR. Using these motifs studied in mice, a putative functionally conserved SCR region in human was located. This putative human Sox2 control region (hSCR) demonstrates high sequence conservation of ES cell specific TF motifs and two distinct clusters as seen in mouse. Overall, these results suggest TF binding at Sox2 distal enhancers is vital for activity and could be conserved across species.
Ramsay Wright is a wheelchair accessible building.