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At IMB, we explore the molecular biology of the nucleus with an overarching focus on gene regulation, epigenetics & genome stability

Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)

Roopesh Anand  Joan Barau  Petra Beli  Claudia Keller Valsecchi  René Ketting  Anton Khmelinskii  Julian König  Nard Kubben  Katja Luck  Christof Niehrs  Jan Padeken  Stamatis Papathanasiou  Katharina Papsdorf  Sandra Schick  Helle Ulrich  Siyao Wang  Sina Wittmann 

Transposable elements & genome stability

Joan Barau

Transposable elements, or transposons, are abundant genomic repeats that can move from one location in the genome to another. This can cause genome instability and disrupt genes. My lab studies how transposon biology impacts our genomes – in particular, the genome of germ cells and pluripotent stem cells. We are interested in uncovering new mechanisms by which genomes attempt to control transposons and how transposons escape them. We are also interested in dissecting how transposons themselves and the mechanisms originally involved in their regulation can play important roles in development and disease.

Research website

Positions held

  • Since 2019: Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
  • 2013 - 2019: Postdoctoral Researcher, Institut Curie, Paris

Education

  • 2006 - 2012: PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Campinas
  • 2001 - 2005: BS in Biology, University of Campinas

Selected publications by Joan Barau

Prakash SA and Barau J (2020) Chromatin profiling in mouse embryonic germ cells by CUT&RUN. Pages 253–264 in: Epigenetic Reprogramming During Mouse Embryogenesis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2214 (eds. Ancelin K & Borensztein M), Springer US, New York, NY  Link

Barau J, Teissandier A, Zamudio N, Roy S, Nalesso V, Hérault Y, Guillou F and Bourc’his D (2016) The DNA methyltransferase DNMT3C protects male germ cells from transposon activity. Science, 354:909–912 Link

Barau J, Grandis A, Carvalho VMA, Teixeira GS, Zaparoli GHA, do Rio MCS, Rincones J, Buckeridge MS and Pereira GAG (2015) Apoplastic and intracellular plant sugars regulate developmental transitions in witches’ broom disease of cacao. J Exp Bot, 66:1325–1337 Link

Zamudio N, Barau J, Teissandier A, Walter M, Borsos M, Servant N and Bourc’his D (2015) DNA methylation restrains transposons from adopting a chromatin signature permissive for meiotic recombination. Genes Dev, 29:1256–1270 Link