Gene network and epigenetic mechanisms controlling the generation of T lymphocytes

Abstract: T lymphocytes are vital components of the immune system in humans and other mammals. They are generated by multiple waves of blood cell precursors that migrate from the bone marrow to a special organ, the thymus, where the stem cell-like precursor cells encounter signals that cause them to differentiate into T cells. This process is important for health by providing resistance to infection and cancer, and it is also very illuminating as a model system to show how environmental signaling, endogenously expressed transcription factors, and epigenetic chromatin changes can work together in an orderly, stepwise process to convert cells efficiently from stem-like cells to effective, useful differentiated cells. We can “zoom in” to observe and dissect this process through powerful in vitro culture systems that mimic the thymus in an open format, which allows the developing cells to be observed and manipulated. The Rothenberg lab has focused on answering three kinds of questions. First, how do the transcription factors in these cells act in a cascade, so that each transcription factor works to activate or shut off other transcription factors in an orderly way, which then themselves change the expression of another set of genes? Second, how does the epigenetic state of the chromatin affect what these transcription factors can do at a given stage, and how do the factors themselves alter the epigenetic state to allow differentiation to proceed? Third, how do these mechanisms explain the high efficiency but slow speed of this developmental process? The talk will show how recent results shed light on these questions.

biochemistrycancer biologychemical biologycell biologydevelopmental biologydrug discoveryevolutiongeneticsimmunologymolecular biologymicrobiologyneuroscienceplant sciencessystems biologybiotechnologybiological techniquesbiophysics

Audience: researchers in the discipline

( video )

Comments: Organizers can be contacted at 22100032@lums.edu.pk for the Zoom link.

---

Colloquium zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology LUMS

Series comments: Zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology Colloquium was initiated on July 28th, 2020 by the Biology department at Syed Babar Ali School of Science & Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The series follows through various topics which come under the ambit of Molecular and Cellular Biology and we’ve had the pleasure and honor of hosting some of the most knowledgeable scientists from around the globe. Organizers can be reached out at 24100162@lums.edu.pk or 24100001@lums.edu.pk for the Zoom link of individual talks. All lectures are LIVE streamed on SBASSE's official Facebook page.

---