Hox genes and patterning brain development: A story in segments
| Dates: | 23 January 2014 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Life Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff |
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| Speaker: | Robb Krumlauf |
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This seminar is part of the Tissue Systems seminar series. The vertebrate hindbrain is a highly conserved co-ordination center where regional diversity and patterning of neurogenesis is achieved through a process of segmentation. The Hox family of transcription factors is coupled to this process and provides a molecular framework for specifying the unique identities of hindbrain segments (rhombomeres) and developing neurons. Through regulatory analyses utilizing BAC recombineering, transgenic mice and multispectral imaging, mechanistic insight into how patterns of Hox expression are established in response to signals during mouse development is being generated. Genetic studies have shown that Hox genes play roles in controlling rhombomere identity, cranial neural crest migration, neuronal differentiation and facial nerve development. However, very little is known about how Hox genes control downstream target genes to fulfill these roles. Transcriptional profiling of individual rhombomeres in wild type and mutant mice isolated by laser capture microscopy is uncovering genes and pathways under Hox regulation. To identity potential direct target genes, genomic approaches in mouse tissues and ES cells differentiated into neurons is revealing binding regions of Hox proteins and their co-factors on a genome wide basis. Through genomic, developmental and proteomic analyses we are gaining insight on Hox target genes, Hox protein specificity and uncovering novel interactions between Hox proteins and factors that underlie their functional roles. This lecture will summarize progress on these fronts.
Speaker
Robb Krumlauf
Organisation: Stowers Institute
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Lecture Theatre
Michael Smith Building
Manchester
