Researchers from SDU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have recently obtained new insights into the mechanisms of gene regulation during the development of fat cells. This project and related initiatives in Professor Susanne Mandrup’s research group contribute to our fundamental understanding of how gene expression is reprogrammed during stem cell differentiation, specifically fat cell development. This has implications for our molecular understanding of obesity.
The lead author, PhD student Rasmus Siersbæk explains: The formation of fat cells is controlled by a multitude of proteins termed transcription factors, which act at various stages of differentiation to remodel the chromatin structure and induce transcriptional changes. In this study we mapped open chromatin regions at a genome-wide level throughout a differentiation process, specifically fat cell differentiation. Intriguingly, we find that the major remodeling events occur within the first four hours of differentiation. Based on these findings we identify a network of early transcription factors that act in concert to induce fat cell differentiation through co-operative binding to sites on DNA that we call ‘hotspots’. We suggest that these ‘hotspots’ constitute important regulatory nodes in the genome.”
The results were reported online March 22 in EMBO J.:
Extensive chromatin remodelling and establishment of transcription factor 'hotspots' during early adipogenesis. Siersbæk R, Nielsen R, John S, Sung MH, Baek S, Loft A, Hager GL, Mandrup S.
EMBO J. 2011 Mar 22.
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13.04.2011
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