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SUMMARY:DNA methylation changes at major animal evolutionary transition - 
 Alexandre de Mendoza Soler
DTSTART:20220322T130000Z
DTEND:20220322T140000Z
UID:TALK171539@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Emily Mitchell
DESCRIPTION:Cytosine DNA methylation is one of the most widespread epigene
 tic marks in eukaryotes. Its roles encompass various gene regulatory proce
 sses\, including imprinting\, X-chromosome inactivation and transposable e
 lement silencing. However\, our knowledge on DNA methylation mainly derive
 s from vertebrate model systems\, which have an inherent bias: vertebrate 
 genomes are hypermethylated (>70% of CpGs are methylated)\, which is the e
 xception rather than the rule in the animal kingdom. In my work\, I challe
 nge many of the assumptions in the field of DNA methylation taking a compa
 rative epigenomic approach\, using non-traditional animal and protistan sp
 ecies to decipher how various aspects of this epigenetic layer have evolve
 d. In this talk I will discuss our latest results describing the origins o
 f the DNA methylation system in animals and its impact on vertebrate brain
  evolution. This work provides a provocative insight on how changes on epi
 genetic information might have influenced organismal complexity and genome
  organisation in the animal kingdom. 
LOCATION:Main Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoolgy
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