Dr Rebecca Berrens
Our long-term goal is to define the molecular mechanism of locus-specific transposable elements expression, and through this to discover fundamental processes that affect developmental gene regulation
Dr Rebecca Berrens
Role of Transposable elements in development
Transposable elements are mobile genetic elements that are occupying half of the mammalian genome. Transposable elements can affect gene expression through their own regulatory sequences. Transposable elements expression has been associated with various developmental disorders. Nevertheless, the role of Transposable elements in development is not fully understood.
Our long-term goal is to define the molecular mechanism of locus-specific transposable elements expression, and through this to discover fundamental processes that affect developmental gene regulation. In early studies we developed a single cell long read RNA-seq method called CELLO-seq. CELLO-seq allows us to assess TE expression in single cells and at the level of individual TE loci. Using CELLO-seq, out of thousands of LINE1 loci we identified the 25 likely to be important in development. Therefore CELLO-seq gives us a handle to functionally study specific TE loci in development.
We combine a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies like CELLO-seq, epigenetics and spatial chromosome organisation, computational biology and genome-editing approaches to dissect the heterogeneity of transposable element expression between and within cells and understand their function in development and as regulators of gene expression.
To find out more visit our lab website: https://sites.google.com/view/berrenslab
