Tom Maniatis
Regulation of Gene Expression

We wish to understand the mechanisms involved in the regulation of RNA transcription and pre-messenger RNA splicing, with emphasis on how eukaryotic genes are activated in response to extracellular signals or virus infection. Current research is directed towards understanding the mechanisms involved in the expression of genes in the brain and the innate immune system. In both cases the genes of interest are organized in large clusters (500-1000 kilobases). We are interested in understanding the role of this organization in gene regulation. We use a variety of approaches including molecular genetic analysis of the role of intergenic sequences, analysis of long-range chromosomal interactions, analysis of cluster-wide nucleosome positioning and studies of the changes of intranuclear localization of these gene clusters in their inactive and active states.

Publications:
Ibrahim, el C., Schaal, T.D., Hertel, K.J., Reed, R. and Maniatis, T. 2005. Serine/arginine-rich protein-dependent suppression of exon skipping by exonic splicing enhancers. PNAS 102: 5002-5007.

Maniatis, T. and Tasic, B. 2002. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing and proteome expansion in metazoans. Nature 418: 236-243.

Tasic, B., Nabholz, C.E., Baldwin, K.K., Kim, Y., Ruechert, E.H., Ribich, S.A., Cramer, P., Wu, Q., Axel, R. and Maniatis, T. 2002. Promoter choice determines splice site selection in protocadherin alpha and gamma pre-mRNA splicing. Mol. Cell 10: 21-33.

Silverman, N. and Maniatis, T. 2001. NF-kappaB signaling pathways in mammalian and insect innate immunity. Genes Dev. 15:2321-2342.