PP
prasad pethe
Symbiosis Centre for Stem Cell Research, Symbiosis International University
Pune, India
About this Research Topic
This Research Topic is closed for submissions.
Background
Gene regulation is a dynamic process controlled by epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin rearrangements/remodelling. These epigenetic mechanisms finely regulate gene expression which helps to generate different cell types from common pool of undifferentiated cells, despite the cells having identical genetic material.
Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are one of the key histone modifiers which assemble in different combinations to form large protein complexes termed as Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs). These complexes alter gene expression via histone modifications such as H3K27me2, H3K27me3 and H2AK119ub1.
The Polycomb group (PcG) proteins have been shown to be required for lineage specification and organ homeostasis. PcG proteins such as RING1B and MEL18 help in X chromosome inactivation in females during early development. EZH2 regulates the proliferation of epidermal and intestinal stem cells, thereby maintaining tissue homeostasis. Several PcG proteins such as EED, BMI1 and EZH2 have been shown to be involved in the patho-biology of cancer of breast, prostate, colon, pancreatic tissue etc. Thus, Polycomb group (PcG) proteins thus a major role in both development and disease. However, there are several aspects of Polycomb group (PcG) mediated gene regulation that remain to be uncovered.
We hope that articles in this research topic would further our understanding of the functions of Polycomb group (PcG) proteins during vertebrate development also the consequence of misregulation or absence of PcG proteins.This Research Topic aims to look into the role of Polycomb group (PcG) proteins in disease and development.
Topics of interest include but not restricted to:
Role of PcG proteins in Ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm specification in various vertebrate model system
Diseases arising due to mutations in key PcG genes
Role of PcG proteins in germ cell development and maturation
Role of PcG proteins in regulating chromatin accessibility
Non Coding RNAs and PcG protein interaction in development and diseases
Role of PcG proteins in cancer initiation and metastasis
Interaction between PcG proteins and other epigenetic modifiers in disease and development
Regulation of PcG proteins by signalling pathways
We welcome both Original Research articles and Reviews.
Keywords: Polycomb group proteins, epigenetics, lineage specifications, gene expression, diseases
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