Melissa M. Harrison

This study identifies that both sequence-specific DNA binding and disordered protein domains are required for pioneer-factor chromatin occupancy, with mitotic retention relying only on DNA binding.

The paper identifies two distinct DNA-binding domains in Zelda that regulate its tissue-specific chromatin occupancy in Drosophila embryos and neuroblasts.

This study shows that CBP, a histone acetyltransferase, has both catalytic and non-catalytic roles in zygotic genome activation, independent of its acetylation function.

The paper identifies chromatin regulators that modify developmental defects caused by PRC2 inhibition in Drosophila, revealing pathways that restore normal development despite disrupted H3K27me3.

This study shows that pioneer-factor activity depends on chromatin occupancy and is influenced by protein-intrinsic and cell-type-specific factors.

The paper shows that low-level H3K27me3 enrichment by FruC fine-tunes stemness gene transcription in fly neural stem cells, with conserved mechanisms in humans.

This study shows that the pioneer factor GAF localizes to subnuclear foci through binding to GA-satellite repeats, which is necessary for forming heterochromatin and silencing satellite repeat expression.

The paper shows that premature translation of Zelda, a zygotic genome activator, does not lead to early gene expression, highlighting the need for coordinated developmental processes.

This study shows that the transcription factor GAF acts as a stable mitotic bookmark during zygotic genome activation in Drosophila embryos, enabling rapid transcriptional activation after mitosis.

The paper shows Zelda, a pioneer factor, works with Notch to maintain neuroblasts undifferentiated and reprograms progenitor cells, but its function is limited by repressors and depends on chromatin accessibility and cofactors.

The paper identifies GAF as a maternally encoded factor essential for zygotic genome activation and chromatin accessibility during the maternal-to-zygotic transition in Drosophila.

This study shows that the pioneer transcription factor Grainy head's chromatin accessibility establishment is temporally regulated during Drosophila development.

This study uses a Drosophila model to show that a Meier-Gorlin Syndrome mutation in Orc4 causes tissue-specific DNA replication defects, particularly affecting female fertility.

This study shows that transcription factors like Zelda and Bicoid form dynamic, transient hubs in Drosophila embryos that interact with active transcription sites.

The paper investigates how the pioneer factor Zelda controls gene expression timing through transient chromatin interactions in Drosophila embryos.

This study identifies a conserved maternal-specific repressive domain in Zelda that is essential for maternal functions but not zygotic functions during the maternal-to-zygotic transition in Drosophila.