The progress on ChIP

PROGRESS: We have adapted the ChIP assay to cartilage cells, which will help us to identify "target genes" that are regulated by nuclear FGFR3 and potentially involved in achondroplasia. 

TECHNICAL NOTE: The genetic material of a cell is found inside the nucleus and is stored in the form of DNA, which is organized into linear segments called genes.  Proteins referred to as transcription factors bind to DNA and turn the genes on and off.  We think the sICD portion of FGFR3 (see earlier blog) acts as a transcription factor for genes involved in achondroplasia and the ChIP assay will be used as a tool to identify them. ChIP stands for Chromatin Immunoprecipitation.  The ChIP technique allows us to isolate pieces of DNA that are bound by the protein of interest - the FGFR3-sICD in this case.  For our experiments, we will analyze cultured chondrocyte cells using ChIP to first show that the sICD fragment binds to DNA. Once the region of the DNA to which sICD binds to is identified, we will then determine which specific genes bind to and are presumably regulated by the sICD.