Sanjeev Khosla

CDFD, Hyderabad

Sanjeev Khosla

Session 2D — Lectures by Fellows/Associates

Renee M. Borges, IISc, Bengaluru

Epigenetic Inheritance View Presentation

Transfer of genetic information, in the form of DNA, from one generation to another forms the basic tenant of inheritance. The inheritance of non-genetic information has been enigmatic but in the past few decades several examples of it have been documented. The DNA methyltransferase 3-Like (DNMT3L) protein is a catalytically inactive member of the de novo DNA methyltransferases family that also includes DNMT3A and DNMT3B. However, it provides specificity to the action of de novo methyltransferases, DNMT3A and DNMT3B and interacts with Histone H3. DNMT3L has been invoked as the molecule that can read the histone code and translate it into DNA methylation. The presentation would discuss the role of DNMT3L in nuclear reprogramming in the light of our observation that ectopic expression of DNMT3L in Drosophila results in inheritance of epimutations across several generations. Our results, we believe, provides a reason to reevaluate the theories that discuss the need for epigenetic inheritance.

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