COMETES

Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a large portion of eukaryotic genomes. Because of their mobility, they are potential threats for the host genome. One big challenge in biology is to determine how the chromatin silencing machinery establishes and maintains TE silencing. Based on preliminary data from the consortium, demonstrating a new role for 5 chromatin factors in TE transcriptional silencing in Drosophila, we plan to 1) investigate the mechanisms by which these chromatin factors silence TEs in Drosophila ovarian cells; 2) study their impact on TE mobilization and genome stability in oogenesis; 3) identify chromatin factors implicated in TE silencing in non gonadal tissues. The goal of this study is to identify the mechanisms by which chromatin regulates TEs. This study will aid our understanding of the role of TE regulation in development and how their de-regulation leads to sterility and diseases such as cancer or neurodegeneration.