Evolution of 3D chromatin folding across time scales
16 May 2025 - Aurora Ruiz-Herrera, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) | 15h30 | Hybrid Seminar
REGULAR SEMINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION
Studies examining the evolution of genomes have been mainly focused on sequence conservation. However, the inner working of a cell implies a tightly regulated crosstalk between complex gene networks, controlled by small dispersed regulatory elements of physically contacting DNA regions. How these different levels of chromatin organization crosstalk in different species underpins the potential for genome evolutionary plasticity. I will provide an overview on the evolution of chromatin organization, discussing on general aspects of the mode and tempo of genome evolution to later explore the multiple layers of genome organization. We propose that both genome and chromosome size modulate patterns of chromatin folding and that chromatin interactions facilitate the formation of lineage-specific chromosomal reorganizations. Overall, analyzing the mechanistic forces involved in the maintenance of chromatin structure and function of germ line is critical for understanding genome evolution, maintenance, and inheritance.
Aurora Ruiz-Herrera is Full Professor and leader of the Genome Architecture and Evolution Group at the Faculty of Biosciences of Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Spain. She did her PhD at the UAB on genome evolution with research stages in the NIH (USA), Venezuela and Italy. She did her postdoctoral training at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) studying the genomic basis of biodiversity and the University of Pavia (Italy) gaining experience in genome instability supported by a Fullbright/MEC fellowship and an Intra-European Fellowship (European Commission), respectively. Then, she moved back to UAB where she leads her lab. She has more than 20 years of experience in the study of the structural, functional, and evolutionary aspects of genome organization. She has mentored more than 80 graduate students and co-authored more than 100 publications including JCR articles, book chapters and popular articles. Her current research is focused on the study of the dynamics and function of the three-dimensional chromatin structure by combining computational and experimental methods, and by studying the genomes of different vertebrate species.
[Host: Rui Faria, Seascape Genomics & Speciation - SEAGEN]
Zoom Link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/99797933081
Zoom Link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/99797933081