Arul Banerjea
Live-Cell, Single-Molecule Study of PHF14–TCF20 interaction in Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect 1 in 36 children in the United States, but their treatment is challenging due to our limited understanding of their underlying mechanisms. Jian Zhou, a collaborator of the Tjian/Darzacq lab has identified and characterized patients with syndromic ASD who carry mutations in PHF14, a protein crucial for neurodevelopment. These mutations severely disrupt PHF14 interaction with MECP2 and TCF20 complex, two key neuronal transcription factors. My research will explore how PHF14 mutations alter PHF14:TCF20 interaction and chromatin binding in cortical neurons differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells. To achieve this, we will utilize Proximity-Assisted Photoactivation (PAPA), a recently developed microscopy technique in our lab. PAPA enables us to visualize in real-time at the single-molecule level when two fluorescently tagged proteins are in close proximity within live cells. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to gain a deeper comprehension of how PHF14 mutations contribute to the development of ASD.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for your generosity and support of science! I am very passionate about science and I am chasing every available opportunity to gain more knowledge about it. Your generosity has helped me continue to spend some of the summer doing what I love full-time while helping me continue to learn how to think, act, and present work as a scientist. This fellowship has allowed me to worry less about how I will support myself and focus on doing what I love.