Welcome to 6. Epigenetics Lab

Predicting the expression levels of genes by epigenetic marks

Aim: Our recent experiments with increasing collagen expression by inhibiting DNA methylation have shown an additional but interesting result. We showed that the epigenetic mark H3K27ac puts enhancers and genes into an ACTIVE state. Using this information along with what we know from other epigenetic marks we aim to predict the expression levels of genes based on their epigenetic marks.

To help I have compiled information on how enhancers work with genes and what we now know about epigenetic marks at ACTIVE and INACTIVE DNA regions.

Figure Draft for paper

DNA can carry various marks which regulate the ACTIVE/INACTIVE state of the DNA. As these marks do not change the sequence of the DNA itself, but are “on top of” the DNA, we call them epigenetic marks. Our experiments have shown that one epigenetic mark (H3K27ac) is found at ACTIVE DNA regions. When there are high levels of H3K27ac at enhancers or genes

They are in an ACTIVE state. In this example, the GFP gene has high levels of the H3K27ac mark and is in an ACTIVE state producing mRNA. The nearby enhancer also has high levels of the H3K27ac mark and is therefore also ACTIVE which is enhancing the amount of mRNA that the GFP gene is generating to HIGH levels.

Epigenetic marks, like H3K27ac, do not work in isolation. Instead, these marks work in combination to define an ACTIVE or INAVTIVE state at genes and enhancers. I’ve collated the rules we know about how these epigenetic marks work…

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