Thesis supervisor: György Vámosi
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen Abbreviation of location of studies: DEBSI
Description of the research topic:
Nuclear receptors (e.g. retinoic acid receptor: RAR and retinoid X receptor: RXR) and transcription factors of the AP-1 family (c-Fos, c-Jun) function as dimers binding to the regulatory sequences of their target genes, where they activate or repress transcription. Recently we have shown that, contrary to expectations, c-Fos can form homodimers in live cells, and also found evidence for the homodimerization of RXR. We aim to study the homodimerization and protein-chromatin interactions of these transcription factors, characterize the factors (e.g. presence of ligands) that influence these processes, and identify the genomic binding sites of the dimers. We created fluorescent protein-tagged versions of these transcription factors and we will use advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques (Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence crosscorrelation spectroscopy) to study protein-protein interactions and chromatin binding. Genomic binding sites will be mapped with ChIP-seq. Our research may reveal novel functions of these transciption factors.
Required language skills: English intermediate level Number of students who can be accepted: 1
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