A Computer Programming Tool to Investigate Gene Expression Mechanisms
Advisor Information
Dhundy Bastola
Location
MBSC Ballroom - Poster #503 - U
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2022 2:00 PM
End Date
4-3-2022 3:15 PM
Abstract
Genes are the basic building block of the human body, responsible for performing a variety of functions depending on the gene's DNA composition. Genes are regulated by various mechanisms to control the types of functions needed in each cell. Transcription factors, for example, are a broad category of proteins that bind to DNA, providing instructions to synthesize genes in the nearby area. Chromatin packing is another gene regulation mechanism that winds and unwinds the structure of DNA, preventing or allowing transcription factors to bind. Gene regulation mechanisms can further be disrupted by mutations in the DNA, creating unexpected binding behaviors or misshaped proteins. Connecting these mechanisms can be a laborious task for researchers. The goal of this study is to produce an algorithmic tool that can analyze the link between gene regulation mechanisms with little input from the researcher besides raw sequencing data. We validated our tool by showcasing the cyclical link between transcription factor binding, chromatin packing, gene expression output, and mutations in genes that encode transcription factors.
Scheduling Link
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A Computer Programming Tool to Investigate Gene Expression Mechanisms
MBSC Ballroom - Poster #503 - U
Genes are the basic building block of the human body, responsible for performing a variety of functions depending on the gene's DNA composition. Genes are regulated by various mechanisms to control the types of functions needed in each cell. Transcription factors, for example, are a broad category of proteins that bind to DNA, providing instructions to synthesize genes in the nearby area. Chromatin packing is another gene regulation mechanism that winds and unwinds the structure of DNA, preventing or allowing transcription factors to bind. Gene regulation mechanisms can further be disrupted by mutations in the DNA, creating unexpected binding behaviors or misshaped proteins. Connecting these mechanisms can be a laborious task for researchers. The goal of this study is to produce an algorithmic tool that can analyze the link between gene regulation mechanisms with little input from the researcher besides raw sequencing data. We validated our tool by showcasing the cyclical link between transcription factor binding, chromatin packing, gene expression output, and mutations in genes that encode transcription factors.