Abstract

Quantitative Interaction Proteomics for Epigenetics

Michiel Vermeulen, Professor, Radboud University

Epigenetic modification patterns are dynamically being established and removed from the genome during cellular differentiation and they help to create cell-type-specific gene expression profiles. Regulatory proteins can be recruited to these modifications to exert their function. The specific binding of these so-called chromatin ‘readers’ therefore significantly contributes to the biological function of each individual epigenetic modification. Our lab is using state-of-the-art quantitative mass-spectrometry based proteomics technology to identify chromatin readers for epigenetic histone and DNA modifications. We characterize the (dynamic) complexes that these readers form, we study their biology in (differentiated) stem cells and in different model organisms and we investigate their potential deregulation in cancer. In my lecture I will give an overview of current projects in the lab related to these topics.