WEHI Neurodevelopment Seminar Series hosted by Associate Professor Tim Thomas

Dr Maria Bergamasco

Research Officer – Thomas/Voss Laboratory, Epigenetics & Development division – Healthy Development & Ageing Theme, WEHI

The overlapping functions of MYST family histone acetyltransferases, KAT6A and KAT6B, during development

Davis Auditorium

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Including Q&A session
Please register to be part of the Neurodevelopment seminar series mailing list via neurodev@wehi.edu.au
 

KAT6A and KAT6B MYST family acetyltransferases, represent mutually exclusive catalytic subunits of a shared multiprotein complex. During development, the individual mutation of these genes results in distinct congenital intellectual disability disorders in human patients and developmental abnormalities across a range of tissue systems, in animal models. While the consequences of their individual mutation indicates that KAT6A and KAT6B cannot compensate for the loss of each another at endogenous levels, a compensatory role for these factors when one is overexpressed, has not been assessed. This study assessed the potential for KAT6B overexpression to ameliorate KAT6A deficiency mutant phenotypes in the mouse to interrogate the interplay between these factors during embryogenesis. 

Maria Bergamasco completed a Bachelors of Science (Hon) at the University of Melbourne in 2015, before starting a PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall of Medical Research in 2016 in the laboratory of Prof Anne Voss and A/Prof Tim Thomas. Her thesis focused on the roles of MYST family histone acetyltransferases in stem cell populations, in particular within the brain and developing haematopoietic systems. Since completing her PhD in 2020 she has continued her work on MYST family genes, assessing their roles in the adult brain and behaviour and identifying potential therapeutics that may ameliorate cognitive deficits in human patients. 

All welcome!