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Epigenetic regulation of centromeres in early development: Fluorescence based technologies for long term, high spatio- temporal resolution

Centromeres are fundamental to eukaryotic cell division, required for establishing kinetochores tofacilitate faithful microtubule based chromosome segregation. The histone-H3 variant CENtromere-Protein-A (CENP-A) is thought to provide centromere identity and as such must be retained through each cell cycle. DNA replication halves the number of CENP-A containing nucleosomes at centromeres and work in various model systems has shown that new molecules are incorporated outside of S-phaseby a unique mechanism.

Synchronizing in Seattle: Entrainment of networked brain circadian clocks

Last year, we celebrated the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology awarded for the discoveries of the molecular basis of daily rhythms in cells. These circadian (~24 h) rhythms are common across phyla and cell types. In vertebrates, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) synchronizes circadian rhythms in behavior and physiology to the external light cycle, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are unclear.

Asymmetric stem cell division and germ cell immortality

Asymmetric cell division is a fundamental mechanism to diversify cell fates. Adult stem cells often divide asymmetrically to generate one stem cell and one differentiating cell to maintain tissue homeostasis. Non-random sister chromatid segregation has been proposed as a potential mechanism utilized by stem cells to protect the genome from mutations or to confer distinct epigenetic information to daughter cells. However, the underlying mechanisms or the biological significance of such a phenomenon has never been directly demonstrated.

How plants sense and respond to their neighbors: variation on a theme

Plants rely on light not just for photosynthesis but also for information.  Many plants have a sophisticated suite of photoreceptors and responses that allow them to sense and respond to competition for light from their neighbors. Known as the shade avoidance response, the response to neighbor shade can include increased stem elongation, altered branching, and early flowering. Plants undergoing shade avoidance prioritize growth over defense and reduce allocation to fruit and seed, reducing agronomic yield.

Cryptosporidium: molecular genetics for an important parasite

10% of global child mortality is due to diarrheal disease. We now understand the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium to be a leading cause of this burden with a particular grave impact on malnourished infants and toddlers. Boris Striepen’s laboratory has pioneered molecular genetics for this previously intractable pathogen. The lab uses genetics and genomics to understand fundamental parasite cell and molecular biology.

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