QBRI's Dr. Kolatkar speaks at NYU-AD on the importance of Transcription factor interactions
Dr Kolatkar presented work at NYU-AD which showed the importance of how transcription factors make partnerships using distinct but highly similar genomic binding sites to enable diverse cell fates. A highly collaborative framework comprising stem cell biology, bioinformatics,genomics and protein biophysics allowed the connection from in vitro models to animal models. The Abstract of Dr. Kolatkars talk is below:
Using structural information to better predict transcription factor binding in stem cell biology.
We were able to use a combination of methods including X-ray crystallography, mobility shift assays and deep collaborations with stem cell biology, genomics and bioinformatics groups to uncover mechanisms of transcription factor (TF) co-binding on motifs critical for cell fate. Individually many TFs bind several motifs with similar avidity but TF-TF protein interactions can then lead to synergistic and tighter binding which then leads to particular outcomes for cell programs through highly specific motif binding. We were able to inter-convert endodermal TFs into pluripotent TFs and partially convert a pluripotent TF into an endodermal TF using the integrated information. Another group recently was able to completely convert the pluripotent TF through an additional mutation. One significant outcome of the newly created pluripotent TF was that it created induced pluripotent stem cells with a much higher efficiency.