An ambitious EC-funded research initiative on epigenetics advancing towards systems biology

Binding-site motifs of eukaryotic transcription factors (TFs) typically only have a handful of constrained nucleotide positions. Hence, these sequences are ubiquitously found in the genome whereas binding only occurs at a small subset of these putative genomic binding sites. Moreover, the genomic binding pattern of TFs is typically tissue specific, indicating that a combination of inputs, including the chromatin environment, is integrated to specify where TFs bind.

Our long-term objective is to identify genomic (DNA sequences) and chromatin inputs that allow or restrict genomic binding by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a hormone activated TF and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. These studies will yield insight into the processes that partition the genome into regions that are open for TF binding and those that are not and will help explain transient and tissue specific transcriptional responses elicited by TFs like GR.

• Stephan Starick (The role of (epi)genetic landscape in guiding transcription factors to specific genomic loci).
• Jonas Telorac (DNA-encoded signals that prevent genomic binding of Transcription Factors).