Epigenetics represents an exciting new frontier of biomedical research. A central yet essentially unexplored question in epigenetics is how epigenetic regulators are directed to specific loci in the genome to exert their function. It is known that a few transcriptional factors can recruit certain epigenetic factors to the promoters of target genes. However, this mechanism so far can only account for a handful of genes, and a tiny fraction of the genome. The latest Drosophila work in my lab suggest that PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play a major and direct role in guiding epigenetic factors to many sites in the genome. Particularly, piRNA form complexes with PIWI proteins and directly bind to piRNA-complementary sites in the genome to regulate their epigenetic state. Furthermore, we have shown that PIWI directly recruits a key epigenetic factor called Heterochromatin Protein 1a to these sites. Based on these results, we propose a """"""""Piwi-piRNA guidance hypothesis"""""""", in which the Piwi-piRNA complex serves as a sequence- recognition machinery that recruits epigenetic effectors to specific genomic sites to execute epigenetic regulation. Here we propose to use combined genetic and genomic approaches to systematically test this hypothesis and to determine the contribution of the PIWI-piRNA- mediated mechanism to the genome at 10-basepair resolution. Specifically, we propose to: (1) Create the first functional epigenome map to determine the specific epigenetic effect of PIWI towards different regions of the genome;(2) develop a genome-wide epigenetic assay to examine the sufficiency and direct role of PIWI in regulating the transcriptional state of chromatin;and (3) take a four-pronged approach to directly test the role of piRNAs in guiding epigenetic factors to their sites. The proposed study should reveal a fascinating dimension of epigenetic regulation and generate a potentially transformative impact to the broad fields of epigenetics, genetics, molecular, develo

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (NDPA) (DP1)
Project #
5DP1CA174418-04
Application #
8521217
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZGM1-NDPA-B (01))
Program Officer
Mietz, Judy
Project Start
2010-09-30
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2013-08-01
Budget End
2014-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$799,450
Indirect Cost
$319,300
Name
Yale University
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
043207562
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06520
Parikh, Rasesh Y; Lin, Haifan; Gangaraju, Vamsi K (2018) A critical role for nucleoporin 358 (Nup358) in transposon silencing and piRNA biogenesis in Drosophila. J Biol Chem 293:9140-9147
Peng, Jamy C; Valouev, Anton; Liu, Na et al. (2016) Piwi maintains germline stem cells and oogenesis in Drosophila through negative regulation of Polycomb group proteins. Nat Genet 48:283-91
Ku, Hsueh-Yen; Gangaraju, Vamsi K; Qi, Hongying et al. (2016) Tudor-SN Interacts with Piwi Antagonistically in Regulating Spermatogenesis but Synergistically in Silencing Transposons in Drosophila. PLoS Genet 12:e1005813
Gonzalez, Jacob; Qi, Hongying; Liu, Na et al. (2015) Piwi Is a Key Regulator of Both Somatic and Germline Stem Cells in the Drosophila Testis. Cell Rep 12:150-161
Lin, Haifan; Matzuk, Martin M (2015) Poreless eggshells. J Clin Invest 125:4005-7
Lin, Haifan; Chen, Mengjie; Kundaje, Anshul et al. (2015) Reassessment of Piwi binding to the genome and Piwi impact on RNA polymerase II distribution. Dev Cell 32:772-4
Mani, Sneha Ramesh; Megosh, Heather; Lin, Haifan (2014) PIWI proteins are essential for early Drosophila embryogenesis. Dev Biol 385:340-9
Ross, Robert J; Weiner, Molly M; Lin, Haifan (2014) PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting RNAs in the soma. Nature 505:353-359
Yin, Hang; Lin, Haifan (2014) Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay of Piwi in Drosophila. Methods Mol Biol 1093:1-11
Watanabe, Toshiaki; Lin, Haifan (2014) Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression by Piwi proteins and piRNAs. Mol Cell 56:18-27

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