[Forum SIS] Francesca Chiaromonte @ LUISS Guido Carli

[Pierpaolo Brutti]

<< Apologies for cross-posting >>

29 Novembre 2012 - 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Università LUISS, Viale Romania 32
Room: 307A

Title: Statistical characterizations of genome dynamics

Speaker: Francesca Chiaromonte, The Pennsylvania State University

Abstract: Recent studies of sequenced genomes have shown that the rates of
different types of mutations tend to vary and co-vary along the nuclear
DNA. In order to provide a statistical characterization of this variation
structure and of its association with features of the local genomic
landscape, we have used a number of multivariate techniques on data from
primate alignments (these include regression, linear and non-linear
Principal Components, linear and non-linear Canonical Correlations). Most
recently we have used multivariate Hidden Markov Models to identify
distinct mutational patterns and segment the human genome accordingly. Our
results provide crucial insights into genome dynamics, and the mutagenic
role of various molecular mechanisms such as replication, recombination,
repair and local chromatin environment. Moreover, we identify regions with
distinct mutational signatures whose locations, lengths and landscapes are
evolutionarily meaningful.

This is joint work with Guru Ananda, Prabhani Kuruppummullage Don and
Kateryna Makova of The Pennsylvania State University.