Anna K. Naumova, PhD
Primary Axis:
Human Reproduction and Development
Email:
Email contact form Research Focus:
In living cells, DNA exists in a packaged form: it is wrapped in proteins. Depending on the packaging, DNA is either easily accessible for transcription factors (proteins that help reading the information stored in DNA) and actively functioning, or is not accessible and is silent. DNA packaging is also termed "epigenetic state". An abnormal epigenetic state may silence an important gene, and thereby cause disease. My laboratory studies two major aspects of epigenetic regulation: a) the way the epigenetic state of a gene in gametes may alter the functioning of this gene in offspring (trans-generational epigenetic effects) and b) how genetic changes lead to changes in epigenetic states (genetics of epigenetics).
Keywords:
Gene regulation, epigenetics, genomic imprinting, meiosis, mammalian genetics, complex traits
Location:
Royal Victoria Hospital Publications:
Saferali A, Grundberg E, Berlivet S, Beauchemin H, Morcos L, Polychronakos C, Pastinen T, Graham J, McNeney B, Naumova AK. Cell culture-induced aberrant methylation of the imprinted IG DMR in human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Epigenetics. 5(1):50-60; Jan 2010
Defective imprint resetting in carriers of Robertsonian translocation Rb (8.12). Saferali A, Berlivet S, Schimenti J, Bartolomei MS, Taketo T, Naumova AK. Mamm Genome. 21(7-8):377-87; August 2010
Verlaan DJ, Berlivet S, Hunninghake GM, Madore AM, Larivière M, Moussette S, Grundberg E, Kwan T, Ouimet M, Ge B, Hoberman R, Swiatek M, Dias J, Lam KC, Koka V, Harmsen E, Soto-Quiros M, Avila L, Celedón JC, Weiss ST, Dewar K, Sinnett D, Laprise C, Raby BA, Pastinen T, Naumova AK. Allele-specific chromatin remodeling in the ZPBP2/GSDMB/ORMDL3 locus associated with the risk of asthma and autoimmune disease. Am J Hum Genet. Sep; 85(3): 377-393; 2009
Yang L, Andrade MF, Labialle S, Moussette S, Geneau G, Sinnett D, Belisle A, Greenwood CM, Naumova AK. Parental effect of DNA (Cytosine-5) methyltransferase 1 on grandparental-origin-dependent transmission ratio distortion in mouse crosses and human families. Genetics Jan;178(1): 35-45; 2008
