Dr. Stavros Lomvardas
Roy and Diana Vagelos Professor and Chair
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Columbia University
“DNA-induced allostery as a solution for the genome specificity paradox”
Abstract:
Tissue specific gene activation often requires assembly of long range genomic interactions between promoters and intergenic enhancers. An extreme version of these ultra long-range interactions is found in the olfactory system, whereby enhancers from multiple chromosomes assemble multi-enhancer hubs that activate one out of ~1000 olfactory receptor genes in a monoallelic fashion. These highly specific genomic interactions are orchestrated by transcription factor Lhx2 and architectural protein Ldb1, which are also bound in thousand of other sites in the genome, creating the paradox of genome interaction specificity without transcription factor binding exclusivity. Our biochemical and imaging experiments suggest the sequence of the interacting DNA elements may induce sequence-specific allosteric changes to Lhx2/Ldb1 complexes that account for this remarkable specificity.
For more info about Dr. Lomvardas's work:
https://lomvardaslab.zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/
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Seminar will be held in person only.