Histone H3K9 methylation is a conserved modification that correlates broadly with gene repression in organisms ranging from fission yeast to man. In C. elegans, di- and tri-K9 methylation is abundant on repetitive elements (RE), including both transposons...
Deciphering the molecular basis of pluripotency is fundamental to our understanding of mammalian development and embryonic stem cell biology. Will discuss novel transcriptional mechanisms governing ESC gene expression and describe core promoter...
A T cell-mediated immune response is initiated by the T cell receptor (TCR) interacting with peptide-bound MHC (pMHC) on an infected cell. The mechanism by which this interaction triggers intracellular phosphorylation of the TCR, which lacks a kinase...
Cells are organized on length scales from Angstroms to microns. However, the mechanisms by which Angstrom-scale molecular properties are translated to micron-scale macroscopic properties are not well understood. We have shown that interactions between...
Enzymes are admired for their ability to selectively catalyze myriad transformations. We use laboratory evolution experiments to understand better how evolution modifies existing enzymes and creates new ones. A powerful approach to engineering biological...
Like host cells, some viruses produce noncoding RNAs that contribute to the viral life cycle or help the virus evade the defenses the host organism raises against infection. We have been studying a variety of noncoding RNAs made by gamma herpesviruses, a...
