How tiny tags on DNA-packaging proteins control gene activity
Mechanistic studies of chromatin modification in transcription regulation
Researchers are learning how a small protein tag called ubiquitin on DNA-packaging proteins changes gene activity and how that goes wrong in cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321615 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at how attaching a small protein called ubiquitin to histone H2B—one of the proteins that package DNA—helps turn genes on during transcription. Researchers will use high-resolution structural imaging (cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray crystallography), biochemical experiments, and cell-based tests to see how ubiquitin interacts with other chemical tags like methylation and acetylation. They will also study the enzymes that add and remove ubiquitin to understand why these processes go wrong in cancer. The goal is to identify molecular steps that could be targeted by new drugs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers linked to abnormal histone modifications, or those willing to donate tumor tissue or clinical data for research, would be the most relevant candidates for related studies.
Not a fit: People with unrelated conditions or who need immediate clinical therapy are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal new molecular targets for drugs that correct misregulated gene control in cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Structural and biochemical approaches have explained other histone modification mechanisms before, but focusing on H2B ubiquitination and its specific enzymes is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolberger, Cynthia — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Wolberger, Cynthia
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.