Profile
Project Title: The evolution of DNA methylation readers in eukaryotes
Summary: DNA methylation “readers” are proteins that specifically recognize DNA methylation marks. These proteins are widespread across eukaryotes and play critical roles in maintaining DNA methylation levels, regulating chromatin remodeling, and other essential functions. However, our understanding of these readers, particularly their evolutionary conservation across eukaryotes, remains limited. In this project, we aim to advance this understanding through a combination of bioinformatic and experimental approaches. We will employ the HMMER package to search for homologs of methylation readers in various eukaryotes and perform phylogenetic analysis to explore their evolutionary relationships. Experimentally, we will use DAP-seq, a novel alternative to the traditional ChIP-seq that bypasses the need for antibodies, to map the binding patterns of these readers in select non-model organisms, including Nematostella vectensis, Naegleria gruberi, Amoebidium parasiticum, and Acanthamoeba castellanii.
Supervisor: