Summary
The project aims to elucidate chromatin regulatory mechanisms by determining the structures of native chromatin-associated complexes within their physiological context, leveraging cryo-EM methods and the Xenopus egg extract system over a five-year period.
What they want
The project focuses on two primary research objectives: (1) to elucidate the structure and function of the stably bound FACT-nucleosome complex using cryo-EM to reveal novel protein-protein, protein-DNA, and protein-RNA interactions, which will inform follow-up functional experiments; and (2) to develop methodological approaches, including telomeric chromatin assembly in Xenopus egg extracts, to enable direct visualization of telomeric chromatin and address fundamental questions about shelterin complex assembly, columnar nucleosomes, and telomeric structure's protective and regulatory functions.
Deliverables
- Cryo-EM structure of the native FACT-nucleosome complex
- Insights into novel protein-protein, protein-DNA, and protein-RNA interactions within the FACT-nucleosome complex
- Methodological development for visualizing telomeric chromatin
- Elucidation of telomeric chromatin assembly and its protective/regulatory mechanisms
Technical requirements
- Cryo-EM methods
- Xenopus egg extract system
