Biosciences Area

  • About Biosciences
    • Leadership
    • Area Operations Centers
    • Strategic Plan and Reports
    • Strategic Programs Development Group
    • Contact Information
  • Our Science
    • Area Programs
    • Strategic Initiatives
    • Biological Systems and Engineering
    • Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology
    • Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging
    • DOE Joint Genome Institute
  • Media and Events
    • News
    • Announcements
    • Behind the Breakthroughs
    • Events Calendar
    • Seminar Series
  • Staff Resources
    • Commonly Used Acronyms
    • Communications
    • Hiring and Recruitment
    • Hybrid & Telework Resources
    • IDEA
    • Intellectual Property, Industry Engagement, and Entrepreneurship
    • LDRD Information
    • Logos and Templates
    • Mentoring Program
  • Search

Silencing Is Golden: Scientists Image Molecules Vital for Gene Regulation

January 29, 2018

In two new studies, a team of researchers led by Eva Nogales, senior faculty scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division, has gained insight into the structure and function of molecules that act at the genetic level to give rise to different types of cells. Some of these molecules are a complex of proteins called the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) that is involved in “silencing” genes so that they are not “read” by the cellular machinery that decodes genetic information, effectively keeping the genetic information in the “off” state.

Poepsel, Nogales, and Kasinath
From left: Simon Poepsel, Eva Nogales and Vignesh Kasinath (Credit: Basil Greber)

These two studies rely on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for imaging PRC2, a technique that can be used to image large biomolecules on a very small scale and in multiple conformations. The cryo-EM structure of PRC2 and the ways in which it is regulated to affect gene silencing was reported on January 18 in the journal Science and on January 29 in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology by Eva Nogales and postdoctoral researchers Vignesh Kasinath and Simon Poepsel. For more information, read the Cancer Discovery Research Watch synopsis or the Berkeley Lab News Center press release.

Was this page useful?

Send
like not like

About Biosciences

  • Leadership
  • Area Operations Centers
  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA)
  • Contact

Divisions & User Facility

  • Biological Systems and Engineering
  • Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology
  • Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging
  • DOE Joint Genome Institute

Resources

  • A-Z Index
  • Phonebook
  • Logos
  • Acronyms
  • Integrated Safety Management
Questions & Comments
Follow us: Mastodon LinkedIn YouTube