Lab presentation
Genomic functions take place in chromatin, not in naked DNA. In recent years, our knowledge about the regulation of chromatin functions has improved thanks to the identification of components and mechanisms that modify its structural and functional properties, such as remodelling complexes, histone modifications (acetylation, methylation…) and the corresponding enzymes, histone variants that localise to specific chromosome locations, structural non-histone proteins that contribute to the functional properties of specific chromatin domains, among others.
Our research focuses on the study of the molecular basis of chromatin function, their regulation during cell cycle and development, and their alteration in human pathologies.
Projects
Research Lines:
- Centromere structure and function: chromosome segregation
- Epigenetic regulation of transcription
- Chromatin-mediated long-distance interactions
- Higher-order chromatin organisation
Lab people
Ferran Azorín
Principal investigator
Jordi Bernués
Principal investigator
Monica Torras
Alicia Vera
Albert Carbonell
Paula Escudero
Marta Puerto
Juan Francisco Pérez
Srividya Tamirisa
Paula Bujosa
Past students
Selected publications
M. Torras-Llort, O. Moreno-Moreno and F. Azorín (2009) “Focus on the centre: the role of chromatin on the regulation of centromere identity and function” EMBO J., 28, 2337–2348.
J. Font-Burgada, D. Rossell, H. Auer and F. Azorín (2008) “Drosophila HP1c isoform interacts with the zinc-finger proteins WOC and Relative-of-WOC (ROW) to regulate gene expression” Genes Dev., 22, 3007-3023.
M. Lloret-Llinares, C. Carré, A. Vaquero, N. de Olano and F. Azorín (2008) “Characterisation of Drosophila melanogaster JmjC+N histone demethylases” Nucleic Acids Res., 36, 2852-2863.
L. Aguilar-Arnal, F.-X. Marsellach and F. Azorín (2008) “The fission yeast homologue of CENP-B, Abp1, regulates directionality of mating-type switching” EMBO J., 27, 1029–1038.
S. Pérez-Lluch, S. Cuartero, F. Azorín and M.L. Espinás (2008) “Characterization of new regulatory elements within the Drosophila bithorax complex” Nucleic Acids Res., 36, 6926-33
All publications
M. Torras-Llort, O. Moreno-Moreno and F. Azorín (2009) “Focus on the centre: the role of chromatin on the regulation of centromere identity and function” EMBO J., 28, 2337–2348.
J. Font-Burgada, D. Rossell, H. Auer and F. Azorín (2008) “Drosophila HP1c isoform interacts with the zinc-finger proteins WOC and Relative-of-WOC (ROW) to regulate gene expression” Genes Dev., 22, 3007-3023.
M. Lloret-Llinares, C. Carré, A. Vaquero, N. de Olano and F. Azorín (2008) “Characterisation of Drosophila melanogaster JmjC+N histone demethylases” Nucleic Acids Res., 36, 2852-2863.
L. Aguilar-Arnal, F.-X. Marsellach and F. Azorín (2008) “The fission yeast homologue of CENP-B, Abp1, regulates directionality of mating-type switching” EMBO J., 27, 1029–1038.
S. Pérez-Lluch, S. Cuartero, F. Azorín and M.L. Espinás (2008) “Characterization of new regulatory elements within the Drosophila bithorax complex” Nucleic Acids Res., 36, 6926-33
A. Rodríguez-Campos and F. Azorin (2007) “RNA is an integral component of chromatin that contributes to its structural organization” PLoS ONE, 2, e1182.
E. Casacuberta, F. Azorin and M.-L. Pardue (2007) “Intracellular targeting of telomeric retrotransposon Gag proteins of distantly related Drosophila species”Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104, 8391 – 8395
O. Moreno-Moreno, M. Torras-Llort and F. Azorin (2006) “Proteolysis restricts localization of CID, the centromere-specific histone H3 variant of Drosophila, to centromeres” Nucleic Acids Res., 34, 6247 – 6256.
E. Costa, S. Canudas, I. Garcia-Bassets, S. Perez, I. Fernandez, E. Giralt, F. Azorin and M.L. Espinas (2006) “Drosophila dSAP18 is a nuclear protein that associates with chromosomes and the nuclear matrix, and interacts with pinin, a protein factor involved in RNA splicing” Chromosome Res., 14, 515 -526.
F.X. Marsellach, D. Huertas and F. Azorin (2006) “The multi-KH domain protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Scp160p contributes to the regulation of telomeric silencing“ J. Biol. Chem., 281, 18227 – 18235.
C. Bonet, I. Fernandez, X. Aran, J. Bernues, E. Giralt and F. Azorin (2005) “The GAGA protein of Drosophila is phosphorylated by CK2” J. Mol. Biol., 351, 562 – 572.
S. Canudas, S. Perez, L. Fanti, S. Pimpinelli, N. Singh, S.D. Hanes, F. Azorin and M.L. Espinas (2005) “dSAP18 and dHDAC1 contribute to the functional regulation of the Drosophila Fab-7 element” Nucleic Acids Res., 33, 4857 – 4864.
D. Huertas, A. Cortes, J. Casanova and F. Azorin (2004) “Drosophila DDP1, a multi-KH-domain protein, contributes to centromeric silencing and chromosome segregation” Curr. Biol., 14 , 1611-1620.
S. Pagans, D. Pineyro, A. Kosoy, J. Bernues and F. Azorin (2004) “Repression by TTK69 of GAGA-mediated activation occurs in the absence of TTK69 binding to DNA and solely requires the contribution of the POZ/BTB domain of TTK69” J. Biol. Chem., 279 , 9725 – 9732.
Project funding
Cromatina silenciada: análisis de los factores y mecanismos implicados en su formación y mantenimiento:
- Plan Nacional I+D Programa Nacional de Biología Fundamental (MEC)
- PERIOD:2006 – 2009
- IP:Ferran Azorín
Epigenética: mecanismos y enfermedad:
- CONSOLIDER, MICINN
- PERIOD: 2006 – 2011
- IP: Ferran Azorín
Regulación epigenética de la estructura y función de la cromatina:
- Plan Nacional I+D Programa Nacional de Biología Fundamental (MICINN)
- PERIOD:2009 – 2012
- IP:Ferran Azorín
Vacancies/Jobs
PhD students and Postdoctoral fellows interested in joining our group are wellcome to apply at anytime
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