Sharon Roth Dent, Ph.D.
1986, Rice University
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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Sharon Roth Dent, Ph.D. 1986, Rice University The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center |
Research Interests:
DNA associates with an octamer of histone proteins (two each of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells to form the nucleosome, which serves as the building block for higher-order chromatin structures. Both individual nucleosomes and higher-order chromatin structures regulate DNA templated processes, including gene transcription, DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Our lab is studying histone modifying enzymes that regulate chromatin structures and contribute to epigenetic alterations in cell phenotypes. Our overall goal is to understand the importance of chromatin remodeling and epigenetics to normal cell growth and development. We then hope to gain insights into how misregulation of these activities contributes to disease states, including various cancers. We use both yeast and mice as model systems. Our recent work has revealed unexpected functions for a histone methyltransferase, Set1, in yeast kinetochore function during mitosis. In other studies, we have discovered a role for a histone acetyltransferase, Gcn5, in telomere maintenance, genome integrity, and neural development.
Tutorials in my lab provide experience in basic techniques in molecular biology, genetics, mouse knock out technologies, and biochemistry.
Selected Publications:
Zhang K. Lin W, Latham JA, Riefler GM, Schumacher JM, Chan C, Tatchell K, Hawke DH, Kobayashi R, Dent SYR (2005) The Set1 methyltransferase opposes Ipl1 Aurora Kinase functions in chromosome segregation. Cell;122:723-734.
Bu P, Evrard YA, Lozano G, Dent SR (2007) Loss of Gcn5 acetylransferase activity leads to neural tube closure defects and exencephaly in mouse embryos. Mol Cell Biol;27:3405-16.
Chosed RC, Dent SR (2007) A two-way street: LSD1 regulates chromatin boundary formation in Spombe and drosophila. Mol Cell;26:160-162.
Latham J, Dent SY (2007) Cross-regulation of histone modifications. Nat Struct Mol Biol. Nov 5;14(11):1017-1024.
Lin W, Zhang Z, Srajer G, Chen YC, Phan HM, Dent SYR (2008) Proper expression of the Gcn5 histone acetyltransferase is required for neural tube closure in mouse embryos. Dev Dyn; 237:928-940.
Program Affiliation:
Program in Genes and Development