Frédéric Berger
Chromatin architecture and function
Research Focus
All the instructions required for a cell to be "alive" is coded in the DNA sequence. And this information needs to be processed and accessed for proper cellular function and development. Histones, their modifications, and their dynamics regulate the access to this information. Families of histone variants with similar properties evolved in Eukaryotes. We aim to understand the biological significance of the evolution of diverse histone variants and the mechanisms associated with their modifications and dynamics in the context of chromatin function. We are working with various model organisms, Arabidopsis, Marchantia, and fission yeast and apply a range of methods ranging from genomics to biochemistry. Currently our efforts are focused on the pathways that deliver specific histone variants to chromatin and other pathways that deposit or read modifications specific to histone variants. We also study chromatin states and their remodeling in various developmental contexts and investigate evolution of histone variants in the context of the increased complexity of chromatin organisation and transposon silencing.
