Chromatin domains in transcriptional regulation

We are interested in factors and mechanisms involved in the formation and maintenance of chromatin domains and their implication in cell differentiation and development. We ask how interactions between distant sites in the genome are set up, maintained and controlled, and what are the consequences of genome organization inside the nucleus in gene expression. In particular, we study the role of chromatin architectural proteins in alternative promoter selection, response to stimuli and cell-type specific regulation of gene expression. We are also working to identify new proteins involved in insulator activity and chromatin organization. Research lines: 1.- New architectural proteins and their role in chromatin organization during cell differentiation and development 2.- Role of insulator proteins in genomic organization into domains of gene expression 3.- Identification of insulator-binding complexes in a cell and locus-specific manner