Learning from single cells: new techniques to unravel gene regulation

How is the activity of a gene regulated by the packaging of DNA? To answer this question, a technique to measure both gene expression and DNA packaging was developed by researcher Franka Rang from Jop Kind (the group led by the Hubrecht Institute and the Oncode researcher) Developed with Kim de Luca

To implant DNA into the nucleus, DNA is tightly packed around nuclear proteins (histones)

DNA packaging determines gene activity

The tightness with which DNA wraps around histones is regulated by the addition of molecular groups on histones, so-called post-translational modifications (PTMs)

The regulation of gene expression, for example by PTMs, is also known as epigenetic regulation

Analysis of single cells with EpiDamID

To understand how PTMs affect gene expression, first authors Franka Rang and Kim de Luca devised a new method to pinpoint the location of modifications

EpiDamID is based on DamID technology, which is used to determine the binding sites of certain DNA-binding proteins

Future prospects

As this technology develops, Kind's group will focus on the role of PTMs from a developmental biology perspective

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Single-cell profiling of transcriptome and histone modifications with EpiDamID