Metabolic Control of Puberty: Role of Epigenetic Regulatory Mechanisms. (EPI-PUBERTY)
This project aims to characterize the mechanisms, molecular targets and functional relevance of the epigenetic regulation of puberty.
Special emphasis will be paid to elucidate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in the control of expression of essential puberty-activating genes, such as Kiss1 and NKB, and their eventual interaction with members of the Polycomb group of transcriptional silencers, whose role in puberty has been recently proposed. In addition, a multi-disciplinary approach will be implemented to define the role of epigenetic changes in the metabolic control of puberty, with attention to conditions of precocious puberty due to early-onset obesity.
General Objectives
This project aims to characterize the mechanisms, molecular targets and functional relevance of the epigenetic regulation of puberty.
Special emphasis will be paid to elucidate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in the control of expression of essential puberty-activating genes, such as Kiss1 and NKB, and their eventual interaction with members of the
Polycomb group of transcriptional silencers, whose role in puberty has
been recently proposed. In addition, a multi-disciplinary approach will be implemented to define the role of
epigenetic changes in the metabolic control of puberty, with attention to conditions of precocious puberty due to early-onset obesity.
Role of the andalusian partner
The group UCO is the coordinator of this Project. The research fellow associated to this project will conduct part of his activities at the UCO group (during the return phase of his fellowship), where he will continue his physiologic studies on the epigenetic regulation of puberty and its contribution to the metabolic control of puberty onset.