Qiuyue Chen L&S Biological Sciences
Mechanisms of PRDM9–HELLS–Mediated Chromatin Remodeling
Before genetic information can be exchanged during reproduction, certain regions of DNA—called recombination hotspots—must become accessible within tightly packed chromatin. How these sites are opened is a fundamental question in biology. My project investigates how two proteins, PRDM9 and HELLS, work together to make these regions accessible. PRDM9 acts as a guide, recognizing specific DNA sequences, while HELLS functions as a molecular machine that can reposition DNA packaging structures to expose the underlying genetic code. I aim to understand how PRDM9 activates or regulates HELLS to open chromatin at the right place and time. To do this, I will rebuild simplified versions of chromatin in the lab and measure how these proteins interact and remodel DNA. By uncovering how cells control access to their genetic information, this research can provide insight into processes essential for fertility and genome stability, and help explain how their disruption contributes to disease.
Message To Sponsor
I am deeply grateful for your support of undergraduate research. I am particularly excited to study how chromatin remodeling proteins like PRDM9 and HELLS work together to regulate access to genetic information during meiosis. Understanding these mechanisms is important for genome stability and has implications for diseases such as infertility and cancer. Thank you for making this opportunity to explore fundamental biological questions possible.