MBG 4110

Epigeneticists study how chromatin regulates the establishment and maintenance of hereditary tissue-specific gene expression programs. As such, this course will focus on the structure of chromatin and its links to DNA replication and gene expression. A variety of epigenetics phenomena (gene silencing, position effects, transposable genetic elements, whole chromosome inactivation and gene imprinting) will be covered in detail. Other themes will include how the maintenance of the epigenetic landscapes are mediated through non-coding RNAs and how metabolism, stress and the environment can affect the epigenetic control of gene expression. Modern advances in epigenetics will be explored through the analysis and critique of primary literature. [Department(s): Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology]