Research Projects

DNA within the cell nucleus is organized in a hierarchical 3D organization scaling from nucleosome to loop, chromatin domain and chromosome territories. Alterations in 3D chromatin organization can lead to developmental defects and diseases. The 3D organization of chromatin within the nucleus is maintained by specific factors like various chromatin associated proteins as well as by non-specific components like nuclear confinement and molecular crowding. Role of different chromatin associated proteins in regulating chromatin organization is being extensively studied but the contribution of molecular crowding as a determinant of different architectural features of chromatin like chromatin domains has not been studied. Here, researchers propose to study the role of molecular crowding in shaping multiscale 3D organization of chromatin by using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) based method chromosome conformation capture, HiC. In parallel we will also study subnuclear distribution of Polycomb Group protein and insulator proteins upon alterations in molecular crowding. PIs will use osmotic perturbations to modulate the molecular crowding of Drosophila S2 cells. This study will uncover contribution of molecular crowding in maintaining 3D chromatin organization.