The exploration of linking RNF20 depended histone H2B ubiquitylation and tumor suppressor gene p53 expression with inflammation and inflammation associated cancer

• Applicant: Dr. Irina Kerle
• Subject Area: Hematology, Oncology ; Cell Biology
• Term: Funded in 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 319465792

In my short term fellowship at the laboratory of Professor Moshe Oren at the Department of Molecular Cell Biology of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, I will join a project linking the ligase RNF20 dependent ubiquitylation of histone H2B (H2Bub1) to inflammation and inflammation associated processes in colorectal cancerogenesis. By working with the knock out mouse model RNF20 +/- as well as p53 sequencing I will participate in the further examination of the inflammatory microenvironment and possible linkage of RNF20 depletion with the expression and mutation status of tumor suppressor gene p53. In order to examine the importance of these from mouse model and cell cultures derived findings for colitis and colorectal cancer in human patients I will examine the correlation of p53 expression and mutation status, H2Bub1 and cytokine levels like interleukine 6 and 8 in human colorectal tissue by establishing a H2Bub1 immunhistochemistry protocol and using qRT-PCR from tumor derived RNA of patient samples. My main goal is to learn new lab skills in a field thematically close to my doctoral thesis in a known and well-equipped laboratory such as the Oren lab. By learning these above mentioned lab skills and participating in the group´s performance of whole exome sequencing I will be able to expand my current research projects in the field of free floating tumor DNA detection in plasma and finding mutations that link different tumor entities and inflammatory processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Israel
• Host: Professor Dr. Moshe Oren