MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MOBILE AND FOREIGN DNA

This research group is focused in the replicative sequences that have colonised and multiply within the human genome, known as mobile genetic elements (MGEs) or mobile DNA. MGEs’ replicative activity led to an accumulation of copies that accounts for ~50% of the human genome. They cause insertional mutagenesis, leading to an increase of genetic diversity and occasionally responsible of spontaneous genetic disease and cancer. Epigenetic silencing is known to minimise their deleterious impact, although the mechanism responsible for driving this silencing to active MGEs is largely unknown. Notably, proviral DNA insertions generated during retroviral latency are also epigenetically silenced during viral latency and my results suggests that the silencing pathway could be shared. My research group aims to unravel this mechanism that safeguards genome integrity by identifying and silencing endogenous or infectious DNA insertions, and their implication in the regular genome function.