The Amsterdam Nuclear Organisation Group
Our lab is interested in aspects of nuclear organisation and epigenetic mechanisms that are related to the regulation of gene expressions. We concentrate on chromatin structure and the machineries for gene regulation and DNA repair in the intact cell nucleus. We combine structural studies, in part in living cells, with molecular, biochemical and genetic approaches.
Combining different model systems
Nuclear organisation and chromatin structure in relation to gene expression and DNA repair is evolutionary conserved in eukaryotic cells. Therefore, we employ different model organisms, including mammals (man, mouse) and plants (Arabidopsis, maize), each having specific advantages and disadvantages. Animal cells constitute an excellent system for the analysis of the behaviour of molecular machineries inside the nucleus of a living cell, while particularly Arabidopsis is often easier to analyse and manipulate genetically. Combining information from different model systems gives us unique insights into structure-function relationships of the eukaryotic genome inside the nucleus
