Notices

ARMI External Seminar Series - Dr Anne Voss

Date:

23 April 2013

Category:

Conferences, Seminars, Lectures

Contact:

Simone Heane

Simone.Heane@monash.edu

+61 3 990 29608

http://www.armi.org.au/

Dr Anne K Voss
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne

MYST histone acetyltransferases in chromatin regulation, stem cells, Development and disease

The MYST protein family, comprised of five members, constitute one third of the mammalian genome's capacity to regulate transcription and chromatin conformation at the level of histone acetylation. We have reported the biological and molecular function of the MYST histone acetyltransferases in vivo in mice.

We have shown that two MYST proteins, QKF (MYST4/KAT6B) and MOZ (MYST3/KAT6A), are essential for the development, self-renewal and multipotency of neural stem cells and haematopoietic stem cells, respectively. MOZ is, moreover, required for H3K9 acetylation and expression of Hox gene loci and is essential for body segment identity specification.

MOZ is also required for H3K9 acetylation and expression of the Tbx1 gene and palate, heart and aortic arch development. Importantly, deficits in QKF during development cause brain defects and heterozygous mutations of its human homologue, MYST4, are the cause of intellectual disability syndromes in humans. 

Conversely, MYST-fusion proteins resulting from translocations targeting the human MOZ and MYST4 locus cause aggressive forms of acute myeloid leukaemia. A third family member, HBO1 (MYST2/KAT7) is required for the majority of all H3K14 acetylation and essential for de novo activation of important developmental control genes during early organogenesis. In summary, MYST family proteins play essential roles in development, stem cells and disease.

Date: Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Time: 12–1pm
Venue: G19 Meeting Room, Ground Floor, STRIP (Building 75),   Monash University, Clayton campus