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SUMMARY:Quantitative Approaches to Single Cell Epigenetics: Theory and Exp
 eriments - Professor Wolf Reik (Babraham Institute) and Dr. Steffen Ruland
 s (Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems)
DTSTART:20190702T170000Z
DTEND:20190702T190000Z
UID:TALK126565@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr. Adrien Hallou
DESCRIPTION:Wolf Reik - Single cell epigenome landscape of development and
  ageing\n\nEpigenetic information is relatively stable in somatic cells bu
 t is reprogrammed on a genome wide level in germ cells and early embryos. 
 Epigenetic reprogramming appears to be conserved in mammals including huma
 ns. This reprogramming is essential for imprinting\, and important for the
  return to naïve pluripotency including the generation of iPS cells\, the
  erasure of epimutations\, and perhaps for the control of transposons in t
 he germ line. Following reprogramming\, epigenetic marking occurs during l
 ineage commitment in the embryo in order to ensure the stability of the di
 fferentiated state in adult tissues. Signalling and cell interactions that
  occur during these sensitive periods in development may have an impact on
  the epigenome with potentially long lasting effects. The epigenome change
 s in a potentially programmed fashion during the ageing process\; this epi
 genetic ageing clock seems to be conserved in mammals.\nOur recent work ad
 dresses the mechanisms and consequences of global epigenetic reprogramming
  in the germ line\, and the role of passive and active mechanisms of DNA d
 emethylation. Using single cell multi-epigenomics techniques\, we are begi
 nning to chart the epigenetic and transcriptional dynamics and heterogenei
 ty during the exit from pluripotency\, symmetry breaking\, and initial cel
 l fate decisions leading up to gastrulation. We are also interested in the
  potentially programmed degradation of epigenetic information during the a
 geing process and how this might be coordinated across tissues and individ
 ual cells.\n\n\nSteffen Rulands - De-novo DNA methylation: a collective ph
 enomenon\n\nDuring early development\, the genome undergoes large-scale ch
 anges in DNA methylation and chromatin structure. As a result of these pro
 cesses cells carry distinct methylation marks that are associated with the
 ir fate during later stages of development and adulthood. But how are thes
 e epigenetic marks robustly established? Combining methods from single-cel
 l multi-genomics with non-equilibrium physics we find generic scaling beha
 viour and self-similarity in the processes leading to the establishment of
  DNA methylation marks. We show that these phenomena result from long-rang
 e interactions mediated by an interplay between chemical and topological m
 odifications of the DNA. Our work sheds new light on collective processes 
 underlying epigenetic modifications of the DNA. It also highlights how mec
 hanistic insights into the molecular processes governing cell-fate decisio
 ns can be gained by the combination of methods from genomics and non-equil
 ibrium physics.
LOCATION:Sainsbury Laboratory\, Bateman Street\, Cambridge CB2 1NN
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