BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk// X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Genetic features controlling the specific expression of developmen tal genes - Dr Alvaro Rada-Iglesias\; Institute of Biomedicine and Biotech nology of Cantabria DTSTART:20230426T123000Z DTEND:20230426T133000Z UID:TALK197833@talks.cam.ac.uk CONTACT:Bobbie Claxton DESCRIPTION:During vertebrate embryogenesis\, developmental genes are expr essed with remarkable specificity (i.e. expression of the correct genes in the correct cell types) and spatio-temporal precision (i.e. low transcrip tional variation within a field of cells). It is widely accepted that the establishment of cell-type specific gene expression programs is largely de pendent on the regulatory activity of enhancers. However\, the mechanisms that enable enhancers to induce their target genes with the required preci sion and specificity are still poorly understood. Using a synthetic engine ering approach\, we recently showed that enhancer-associated CpG islands ( CGI) act as tethering elements that increase the physical and functional c ommunication between distal enhancers and their target genes\, particularl y those with large CGI clusters in their promoters (i.e. developmental gen es). Moreover\, using single-cell measurements\, we also uncovered that CG I contribute to the precise induction of developmental genes by increasing transcriptional burst size and frequency. On the other hand\, we noticed that developmental genes tend to be located close to TAD boundaries\, whil e their cognate enhancers have a more random distribution within TADs. Not ably\, to interrogate whether the positioning of developmental genes withi n TADs has any functional relevance\, we generated various genetic rearran gements in two selected loci (i.e. Gbx2/Asb18\; Six3/Six2). Interestingly\ , these experiments revealed that the presence of CTCF site clusters\, and developmental genes close to TAD boundaries synergistically strengthens t ranscriptional insulation and prevents enhancers from activating non-targe t genes. Overall\, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms controlling transcriptional precision and specificity during development\ , which\, in turn\, can also help us to understand and predict the long-ra nge pathological effects of human structural variation.\n\nAlvaro Rada Igl esias received his M.Sc. in Biology by the University of Leon in 2001\, be ing recognized as the best academic curriculum of that year. Then\, he obt ained his PhD in 2007 at Uppsala University (Sweden)\, where he worked in the laboratory of Prof. Claes Wadelius. After a short post-doctoral work i n the Linnaeaus Centre for Bioinformatics (Uppsala University\, Sweden) un der the supervision of Prof. Jan Komorowski\, he obtained an EMBO long-ter m fellowship to continue his postdoctoral career in the laboratory of Prof . Joanna Wysocka at Stanford University (USA)\, where he stayed between 20 09-2013. In 2013\, he was recruited by the University of Cologne as a Juni or Research Group Leader at the Centre for Molecular Medicine Cologne\, wh ere he successfully started his independent research group. This was recog nized with an EMBO Young Investigator award (EMBO YIP) in 2017. In July 20 18 he was recruited as a Principal Investigator by the University of Canta bria to direct his research group at the Institute of Biomedicine and Biot echnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC). In 2020\, he became a Tenured Scientist at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). In recent years\, his work has been recognized by an EMBO Young Investigator award ( EMBO YIP\; 2017)\, the José Luís Gómez Skarmeta award (2020) and an ERC Consolidator grant (2019). LOCATION:Kings Hedges Room END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR