Gene Regulation And Expression Profiling Group
Head of the group:
Dr. Johannes Beckers
The mere number of 20.000 to 30.000 protein-coding genes in mammalian species (IHGSC, 2001; Venter et al., 2001; Waterston et al., 2002) is not sufficient to explain the complexity of the mammalian Bauplan, its development during ontogenesis, its physiology and its highly integrated response to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Instead, molecular complexity is dramatically increased at the protein level and through the spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression. Thus coordinated gene regulation is integral to pleiotropic gene functions. In this context research in our laboratory focuses on the analyses of gene regulatory mechanisms at the transcript and protein levels. We combine genome-wide expression studies using the DNA-chip technology and proteomics tools with gene specific regulatory analyses. We use the mouse as model for human diseases and as tool to study basic biological processes. Gene specific regulatory approaches include the generation of transgenic animals and of targeted mutant alleles in regulatory DNA sequences.