Cis-regulation of gene networks during embryogenesis in Drosophila.
In the past decade the genomes of many organisms have been completely sequenced. Two striking observations are that these genomes contain significantly fewer genes than originally predicted and that the majority of the DNA sequence contains regions of presently unknown function. It is therefore clear that the vastly increased biological complexity of higher eucaryotes is critically dependent on the tightly directed expression of gene networks during their development. The Drewell lab research interests lie specifically in the role of this presently uncharacterized genomic DNA in epigenetic and cis-regulation of gene expression during embryonic development. Applying genetic manipulations we use model gene networks such as the homeotic complexes in Drosophila to analyze the functional activities of novel regulatory DNA sequences. Our research also examines the functional activities of epigenetic events such as transcription of non-coding intergenic RNAs and chromatin remodeling.
For more details and information, see Dr. Drewell's personal website.
Celniker S and Drewell RA. 2007. Chromatin looping mediates boundary element promoter interactions. Bioessays. 29: 7-10.
Arney KL, Bae E, Olsen CE and Drewell RA. 2006. The human and mouse H19 imprinting control regions harbor an evolutionarily conserved silencer element that functions on transgenes in Drosophila. Development, Genes and Evolution. 216: 811-819.
Akbari OS, Bousum A, Bae E and Drewell RA. 2006. Unraveling cis-regulatory mechanisms at the abdominal-A and Abdominal-B genes in the Drosophila bithorax complex. Developmental Biology. 293: 294-304. [article]
Hagège H, Nasser R, M. Weber, L. Milligan, Aptel N, Jacquet C, Drewell RA, Dandolo L, Surani MA, Cathala G and Forné T. 2006. The 3’ portion of the mouse H19 Imprinting-Control Region is required for proper tissue-specific expression of the Igf2 gene. Cytogenetic & Genome Research. 113: 230-237. [abstract]
Bae E, Calhoun VC, Levine M, Lewis EB, Drewell RA. 2002. Characterization of the intergenic RNA profile at abdominal-A and Abdominal-B in the Drosophila bithorax complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 99:16847-52. [article]
Drewell RA, Bae E, Burr J and Lewis EB. 2002. Transcription defines the embryonic domains of cis-regulatory activity at the Drosophila bithorax complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 99:16853-8. [article]
Drewell RA, Arney KL, Arima T, Barton SC, Brenton JD, Surani MA. 2002. Novel conserved elements upstream of the H19 gene are transcribed and act as mesodermal enhancers. Development. 129:1205-13. [article]
