The laboratory of the Molecular Biology Institute of the CSIC in Barcelona led by Ferran Azorin, focuses its research on trying to understand the basic mechanisms that regulate genome function through epigenetics. The researcher has explained its latest advances in this field in the IDIBELL seminar series on November 25.

One of the epigenetic factors studied by Azorin team is H1 protein, the least known of histones, in Drospohila melanogaster (fruit fly). “The advantage of this organism is that it only presents a variant of H1 and makes it easier to study.” The objective of this research is, through genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry, to understand what functions are regulated by H1: “We have seen that contributes to the maintenance of genomic stability and other aspects such as germ cell development.”

According to Azorin, the study of epigenetics has evolved greatly in recent years. “At first we called this discipline chromatin because we only knew about structural aspects but increasingly we are more aware of the importance in the structuring of the genome, how epigenetics regulates genetics … we are learning the basic mechanisms and this knowledge will allow us to develop new therapeutic strategies in the future. “