PhD Transfer Seminar – Tammy Lee (Saltzman Lab)

Investigating the role of heterochromatin readers CEC-3 and CEC-6 in small RNA pathways and germline immortality

Abstract

The germ cell lineage is considered ‘immortal’ as it maintains an unlimited proliferative capacity from one generation to the next. Studies in C. elegans have unveiled that chromatin modifiers and small RNA pathways collaborate to ensure germline immortality and to regulate the inheritance of epigenetic information, or transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI). RNA-based modes of TEI are regulated by germ granules, perinuclear RNA-protein condensates that act as ‘hubs’ for small RNA pathway activities. Our lab previously discovered that the loss of two histone methylation readers, C. elegans Chromodomain protein 3 (cec-3) and cec-6, led to a progressive loss of fertility or ‘mortal germline’ phenotype and to misregulation of RNA-based TEI pathways. My results further suggest a role for these genes in germ granule regulation. To understand these phenotypes, I will determine how cec-3 and cec-6 affect the small RNA repertoire, the silencing of small RNA pathway target transcripts, and the maintenance of germ granules. I will further characterize the expression patterns of CEC-3 and CEC-6 at different life cycle stages and during germline development. Together, my proposed research will advance our knowledge of how RNA-based TEI and chromatin regulation collaborate to maintain germline immortality.

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Join Zoom Meeting

https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/83795715715

Meeting ID: 837 9571 5715

Host: Arneet Saltzman (arneet.saltzman@utoronto.ca)

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