Cutting edge Seminar
Speaker: Akane Kawaguchi (Assistant Professor, Molecular Life History Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics)
Title: Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the exceptional limb regeneration capacity in axolotls
※This seminar can also be attended through ZOOM. Please check the URL on “HIGO Cutting-Edge Seminar” at Moodle.
https://md.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/course/view.php?id=114380
Abstract:
While the total number of genes in vertebrates remains relatively consistent across species, the genome size encoding these genes varies significantly. For example, the genome of the axolotl, a type of salamander, is approximately 10 times larger than that of humans, measuring 32 Gb compared to the human genome’s 3.2 Gb. These differences in genome size are thought to influence the three-dimensional organization of the genome, the scale of genomic interactions, and gene regulation mechanisms. The genome size itself may also affect specific processes, such as mechanisms ensuring the accurate segregation of chromosomes during cell division. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying these processes remain largely unknown.
In this talk, I will explore the differences in higher-order genome interactions and the composition of transcriptional units by comparing the axolotl genome with that of humans. First, I will focus on how the three-dimensional organization of the axolotl’s massive genome is regulated. Second, I will address a long-standing question that has fascinated biologists: How does the axolotl regenerate lost limbs with such remarkable precision, avoiding both excess and deficiency? Finally, I will present insights into the epigenetic and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of the axolotl’s enormous genome, shedding light on its unique regenerative capabilities.
References:
Kawaguchi A.*, Wang J.*, Knapp D., Murawala P.,Nowoshilow S., Masselink W., Taniguchi-Sugiura Y., Fei J. and Tanaka E. M. Chromatin states at homeoprotein loci distinguish axolotl limb segments prior to regeneration. . Developmental Cell, 59 (16) 2239-2253 (2024)
Schloissnig S.*, Kawaguchi A. *, Nowoshilow S.*, Falcon F.*, Otsuki L., Tardivo P., Timoshevskaya N., Keinath C. M., Smith JJ., Voss SR., and Tanaka E. M. The giant axolotl genome uncovers the evolution, scaling, and transcriptional control of complex gene loci. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118 (15) e2017176118 (2021)
* Co-first author
