DNA methylation in stem cells

One of our research axes is focused on understanding how DNA methylation patterns are established, maintained, and interpreted during embryonic development. To address these questions we use mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells as our model, and we apply a wide array of tools: cell biology, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics… This has led us, for example, to decipher important mechanisms of epigenetic memory (Ferry et al, Mol Cell 2017, review in Petryk et al NAR 2020). More recently, we carried out genome-wide CRISPR screens to identify factors linking epigenetics and cellular state (Gupta, Yakhou et al., NSMB 2023).

A CRISPR screen identifies new repressors of the totipotent state in mouse embryonic stem cells

In mammals, only the zygote and blastomeres of the early embryo are fully totipotent. This totipotency is reflected in vitro by the expression of markers such as Zscan4. We performed a genome-wide CRISPR KO screen in mouse embryonic stem cells, looking for mutants that reactivate the expression of totipotency markers, like for example the knock-out of Spop.

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Welcome to Julia

Welcome to Julia

Julia Roche Dupuy joined the lab for her second year Master's internship. Julia Roche Dupuy Second year Master's student À lire aussi

Welcome Caroline to our team!

Welcome Caroline to our team!

We're excited to have Caroline joining Dr. Ait-si-Ali's team! She comes to us as an M2 student from the GENE2 master's program at Université Paris-Saclay. Working with Dr. Guillaume Velasco, Caroline will study the regulation of nuclear stiffness by H3K9...

Welcome Minh to Slimane Ait-si-ali’s team!

Welcome Minh to Slimane Ait-si-ali’s team!

We are delighted to welcome Mynh, an M2 student from the GENE2 master's program at Université Paris-Saclay, to Dr. Ait-si-Ali's team. Mynh will be investigating the role of SETDB1 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy phenotype development.