Our lab mainly focuses on the organization and maintenance of chromatin on the inactive X chromosome (Xi). We use gRNA mediated gene deletion, exploiting CRISPR/Cas9 system to delete specific gene of interest from primary cell line. In this image, a technique called FISH (fluorescence in-situ hybridization) is used to verify that the ATRX gene, located on X chromosome, has been deleted from active X-chromosome in RPE1 cell line.
ATRX-specific probe(green) can only be seen in one X-chromosome. Chromosomes are stained in DAPI and red probe is showing the ZFX gene, a X-specific gene, used to locate X-chromosome. This research aims to understand the role of ATRX gene in X-chromosome chromatin dynamics.