Bluma J. Lesch

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Epigenome-Wide Association Studies in the Million Veteran Program

This paper conducts a large-scale epigenome-wide association study of PTSD in the Million Veteran Program, identifying 272 CpG sites associated with PTSD traits and replicating prior findings.

Paternal regulation of H3K4 methylation supports tumor suppressor networks in mammals intergenerationally

The paper shows that paternal KDM6A loss disrupts H3K4 methylation at tumor suppressor gene promoters, increasing cancer risk in offspring.

Ancestral chromatin state constrains the functional landscape of bivalent domains in mammalian spermatogenesis

The paper identifies evolutionary gains in bivalent chromatin domains in mammalian spermatogenesis and links their ancestral chromatin states to distinct somatic gene functions.

Complementary constraints in germ and immune cells shape evolution of gene regulation and phenotype

The paper shows that humanized Traf6 promoter sequences in mice affect immune responses but not fertility, revealing distinct roles for germ and immune cells in gene regulatory evolution.

3D chromatin compartment of round spermatids encodes the spatiotemporal program of histone-to-protamine exchange in spermiogenesis

The paper defines a 3D chromatin compartment blueprint that programs histone-to-protamine exchange during spermiogenesis using ATAC-seq, CUT&Tag, and Hi-C.

Protamine lacunae preserve the paternal chromatin landscape in sperm

The paper uses Fiber-seq to study paternal chromatin repackaging in sperm, finding that protamine lacunae and nucleosome retention play distinct roles in epigenetic inheritance.

ISWI chromatin remodeler SMARCA5 is essential for meiotic gene expression and male fertility in mammals

This study shows that SMARCA5 is essential for meiotic gene expression and male fertility by regulating chromatin accessibility during spermatogenesis.

H3K4me3 instructs transcription at intergenic active regulatory elements

The paper investigates the role of H3K4me3 at intergenic regulatory elements and finds it instructs RNA polymerase activity and is actively remodeled.

Evolutionary innovations in germline biology of placental mammals revealed by transcriptomics of first wave spermatogenesis in opossum

The paper compares spermatogenic gene expression in opossum and mouse to identify evolutionary dynamics in germline biology.

DOT1L bridges transcription and heterochromatin formation at pericentromeres

This study shows that DOT1L is essential for transcription of pericentromeric repeats and maintains genome stability by bridging transcription and heterochromatin formation.

KDM6A/UTX promotes spermatogenic gene expression across generations but is dispensable for male fertility

A nuclear role for the Argonaute protein AGO2 in mammalian gametogenesis

This study identifies a nuclear role for AGO2 in spermatogenesis, showing it enhances protein expression by interacting with splicing and chromatin factors.

NEURON-SPECIFIC CHROMOSOMAL MEGADOMAIN ORGANIZATION IS ADAPTIVE TO RECENT RETROTRANSPOSON EXPANSIONS

The paper shows that neuron-specific chromatin domains in mice are shaped by recent retrotransposon expansions and that disrupting a silencer leads to chromatin rewiring and neuroinflammation.