Unveiling the transcription factors related to circadian rhythm regulation in brown adipocytes.

• Grant number: 23/10146-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Licio Augusto Velloso
• Grantee: Thales Paulilo Scarpato
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07607-8 - OCRC - Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Circadian rhythms are present in every cell, particularly in organs and tissues involvedin energy homeostasis. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays an important role inregulating energy homeostasis, mainly through thermogenic activity. BAT activity issensitive to circadian rhythm. Studies have demonstrated an important pattern in BATcircadian rhythm, which translates to tissue function. Several transcription factors havebeen identified as regulators of the BAT circadian rhythm. However, significantlimitations in conventional methods for identifying the binding region (motifs) oftranscription factors have limited the wider comprehension of the transcription mediatorsinvolved in this process. Current methods using machine learning that combine datafrom chromatin accessibility and gene expression are considered superior in theidentification of motifs compared to conventional methods such as position weightmatrix (PWM). The goal of this project was to utilize the machine learning method(IMAGE) to identify new transcription factors involved in transcriptional circadian controlin brown adipocytes.