Grant: Project Grant
University of British Columbia
$963,900.00
Role of XIST in human X-chromosome inactivation
FY 2017-18
Summary
Females have two X chromosomes while males have only one X chromosome and the sex-determining Y chromosome. The X chromosome contains over 1000 genes that therefore have the potential to be expressed twice as much in females compared to males. To avoid this expression imbalance one X chromosome is silenced in females. We have discovered that the gene that initiates this silencing process is located on the X chromosome and named XIST for X-inactive-specific-transcripts, because, unlike all other genes, it is only expressed from the inactive or silent X chromosome. In addition, XIST, does not make a protein, rather it is the founding member of a class of genes who functions as a long RNA. We believe it does this by binding proteins and bringing them to the inactive X and in this work we will identify these proteins and how they act to silence the X. This will help us understand silencing, and also some of the sources of differences between males and females.
Department
Program
Project Grant
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
CIHR Funding Decisions Database
As published
Id
370901
Name
Brown Carolyn J
Region
British Columbia
Country
Canada
Orgtype
Institution Paid; Research Institution
Instname2
Genetics
Theme2
Biomedical
Prcname2
Genetics
Projecttitle
Role of XIST in human X-chromosome inactivation
Programtype2
Operating Grants
Orgnameinp2
University of British Columbia
Cihramount2
$963,900
Cihrequipment2
$0
Programname2
Project Grant
Keyworddelim
Chromatin Modifications; Crispr/Cas9; Cross-Linked Immunoprecipitation; Dosage Compensation; Facultative Heterochromatin; Long Non-Coding Rna; Rna Modification; Rna-Binding Proteins; X-Chromosome Inactivation; Xist
Abstract
Females have two X chromosomes while males have only one X chromosome and the sex-determining Y chromosome. The X chromosome contains over 1000 genes that therefore have the potential to be expressed twice as much in females compared to males. To avoid this expression imbalance one X chromosome is silenced in females. We have discovered that the gene that initiates this silencing process is located on the X chromosome and named XIST for X-inactive-specific-transcripts, because, unlike all other genes, it is only expressed from the inactive or silent X chromosome. In addition, XIST, does not make a protein, rather it is the founding member of a class of genes who functions as a long RNA. We believe it does this by binding proteins and bringing them to the inactive X and in this work we will identify these proteins and how they act to silence the X. This will help us understand silencing, and also some of the sources of differences between males and females.
Competitiondate
201709
Approvedterm2
5 yrs 0 mth
Pinamesdelim
Brown, Carolyn J
Approvedterm
5 ans 0 mois
Cihrcontribution2
~ $963,900~ $0~
