Creation of different cell types from an identical DNA sequence is one of the most remarkable properties of genomes, and a fundamental question in developmental biology. Control of transcription establishes the gene expression programs that define a cell and directs cell differentiation. It is thereby critical for embryo development. A mechanistic view of transcriptional regulation is not only necessary for recognition of how specific cell states are established and epigenetically maintained, but also for understanding how its misregulation leads to disease. The Drosophila embryo allows us to dissect these mechanisms in vivo by a set of tools that are not readily available elsewhere. Molecular, genetic, and genomic approaches are used to identify the mechanisms by which tissue-specific gene expression is controlled in vivo. 

Keywords

transcription, chromatin, epigenetics, genome-wide, co-regulators, embryo patterning

Selected publications

Regadas I, Dahlberg O, Vaid R, Ho O, Belikov S, Dixit G, Deindl S, Wen J, Mannervik M (2021) A unique histone 3 lysine 14 chromatin signature underlies tissue-specific gene regulation. Molecular Cell, 81:1766-1780, doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.01.041

Ing-Simmons E, Vaid R, Bing XY, Levine M, Mannervik M, Vaquerizas JM (2021) Independence of chromatin conformation and gene regulation during Drosophila dorsoventral patterning. Nature Genetics, 53:487-499
doi: 10.1038/s41588-021-00799-x 

Vaid R, Wen J, Mannervik M (2020) Release of promoter-proximal paused Pol II in response to histone deacetylase inhibition. Nucleic Acids Res. 48:4877-4890. 

Boija A, Mahat DB, Zare A, Holmqvist PH, Philip P, Meyers DJ, Cole PA, Lis JT, Stenberg P, Mannervik M (2017) CBP Regulates Recruitment and Release of Promoter-Proximal RNA Polymerase II. Molecular Cell, 68:491-503.

Boija A and Mannervik M (2016). Initiation of diverse epigenetic states during nuclear programming of the Drosophila body plan. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 113(31):8735-40. 

Nègre N, Brown CD, Ma L, Bristow CA, Miller SW, Wagner U, Kheradpour P, Eaton ML, Loriaux P, Sealfon R, Li Z, Ishii H, Spokony RF, Chen J, Hwang L, Cheng C, Auburn RP, Davis MB, Domanus M, Shah PK, Morrison CA, Zieba J, Suchy S, Senderowicz L, Victorsen A, Bild NA, Grundstad AJ, Hanley D, MacAlpine DM, Mannervik M, Venken K, Bellen H, White R, Gerstein M, Russell S, Grossman RL, Ren B, Posakony JW, Kellis M, White KP (2011). A cis-regulatory map of the Drosophila genome. Nature, 471, 527-31. 

See all publications

(Link to PubMed)