CONFÉRENCE SCIENTIFIQUE
de l'Unité collaborative en épigénétique moléculaire (UCEM)

Invitation des Drs Noël Raynal et Serge McGraw

Xiang-Jiao Yang, PhD
Professeur, Goodman Cancer Center & Department of Medecine, McGill University

An epigenetic signaling axis in stem cells, mouse development and human disease

In the past two decades, it has become clear that epigenetic regulation provides the plasticity for cell- and tissue-specific expression of genetic information. For epigenetic regulation, both DNA and associated proteins such as histones are subject to multiple covalent modifications. There are enzymes executing such modifications, as well as protein domains recognizing these modifications to transmit epigenetic information. In this talk, I will first outline a conceptual path from molecular identification of two paralogous histone-modifying enzymes and their multisubunit complexes to elucidating their functions in modifying histone H3 at a specific lysine residue. Using results from mouse and human genetic approaches, I will then show that the enzymatic complexes are important for regulating neural and hematopoietic stem cells during mouse development. I will also show that dysreguation of these complexes in human patients causes cancer and developmental disorders. At the end, I will discuss some treatment options for related diseases.