- This event has passed.
Student Thesis Defense: Jibo (Dylan) Zhang (Strahl lab)
October 20, 2021 @ 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Defense Title: “Recognition of acetylated histone by Yaf9 regulated metabolic cycling of transcription initiation and chromatin regulatory factors”
A seminar based upon the doctoral dissertation of Jibo Zhang under the direction of Dr. Brian Strahl
Program: Biochemistry and Biophysics
Abstract
How transcription programs rapidly adjust to changing metabolic and cellular cues remains poorly defined.
Here, we reveal a function for the Yaf9 component of the SWR1-C and NuA4 chromatin regulatory complexes in
maintaining timely transcription of metabolic genes across the yeast metabolic cycle (YMC). By reading histone
acetylation during the oxidative and respiratory phase of the YMC, Yaf9 recruits SWR1-C and NuA4 complexes
to deposit H2A.Z and acetylate H4, respectively. Increased H2A.Z and H4 acetylation during the oxidative phase
promotes transcriptional initiation and chromatin machinery occupancy while reduces RNA polymerase II levels
– a pattern reversed during transition from oxidative to reductive metabolism. Prevention of Yaf9-H3 acetyl
reading disrupted this pattern of transcriptional and chromatin regulator recruitment and impaired timely
transcription of metabolic genes. These findings reveal that, during the YMC, Yaf9 establishes chromatin and
transcription initiation factor signatures that specify unique transcriptional mechanisms in distinct metabolic
states.
Contact Holly Shepherd for the Zoom link. Links will be provided to UNC-affiliated email addresses only or through the written consent of defending student.
