Timothy R. Hughes, PhD

Professor, Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research

Chair and Graduate Chair, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto

Title: Codebook: sequence specificity of human transcription factors

Host: Michael A. White, PhD

Abstract: The human genome encodes hundreds of apparent transcription factors (TFs) for which the sequence specificity is either unknown or poorly described.  The Codebook Consortium is an international collaborative effort to generate the data required to derive accurate motif models for these proteins, using a battery of in vitro techniques, as well as in living cells.  The resulting data (a) demonstrate that most of them are bona fide TFs, (b) show that many bind transposons and other genomic dark matter, (c) underscore the high diversity and specificity of human TF binding motifs (d) identify binding factors for tens of thousands of conserved elements, and (e) provide an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate and dissect motif models.