Immunology Graduate Group

Michael Atchison, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry

Address: Animal Biology, 139 Rosenthal, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office Phone: (215) 898-6428
Fax: (215) 573-5189
Email: atchison@vet.upenn.edu

Education:
B.S., State University of New York at Albany
Ph.D., New York University School of Medicine
Postdoc, Fox Chase Cancer Center

Research Interests

Control of Gene Expression, Differentiation, Embryonic and Hematopoietic Development

Research Summary 

My laboratory is interested in determining the molecular mechanisms responsible for transcriptional regulation and development of the immune system. To pursue these studies, we explore the functions of several transcription factors that play important roles in lineage development. These transcription factors include PU.1, Pip, E47, BSAP, and YY1. Each of these factors is crucial for either proper B cell development or for some other aspect of embryonic development. We pursue our studies by biochemical, molecular biological, genetic, and developmental approaches using a variety of experimental systems including cell lines

Cooperative interactions between E47 and Pip bound to DNA.

representing defined stages of B cell development, multipotential tumor lines, transgenic animals, and chimeric mice. In addition to the above mammalian systems, some projects utilize Drosophila or Xenopus systems. In particular, we are exploring: (1) What is the mechanism of transcriptional synergy between E47 and Pip and what are their potential roles in immunoglobulin class switch recombination? (2) How does the interaction between transcription factors PU.1 and BSAP control lymphoid and myeloid development? (3) How does the multifunctional transcription factor YY1 function as a Polycomb group protein to repress transcription, and control embryonic axis formation, and hematopoietic development? (4) What proteins are necessary for formation of an enhanceosome complex over the immunoglobulin kappa 3' enhancer? (5) How does transcription factor PU.1 control hematopoietic development?

Recent Publications

Perkel, J. M. and Atchison, M.L. A two-step mechanism for recruitment of Pip by PU.1. J. Immunol. 160: 241-252(1998).

Fisher, R.C., Olson, M.C., Pongubala, J.M.R., Perkel, J.M., Atchison, M.L., Scott, E.W., and Simon, M.C. Normal myeloid development requires both the glutamine-rich transactivation domain and PEST region of transcription factor PU.1 but not the potent acidic transactivation domain. Mol. Cell. Biol. 18: 4347-4357 (1998).

Nagulapalli, S. and Atchison, M.L. The transcription factor Pip can enhance DNA binding by E47 leading to transcriptional synergy involving multiple protein domains. Mol. Cell. Biol. 18: 4639-4650 (1998).

Meraro, D., Hashmueli, S., Koren, B., Azriel, A., Oumard, A., Kirchhoff, S., Hauser, H., Nagulapalli, S., Atchison, M.L., and Levi, B.-Z. Protein-protein and DNA-protein interactions affect the activity of lymphoid specific IFN regulatory factors. J. Immunol. 163: 6468-6478 (1999).

Maitra, S. and Atchison, M.L. BSAP can repress enhancer activity by targeting PU.1 function. Mol. Cell. Biol. 20: 1911-1922 (2000).

Hong, W., Kim, A.Y., Ky, S., Rakowski, C., Seo, S.-B., Chakravarti, D., Atchison, M.L., and Blobel, G.A. Inhibition of CBP-mediated protein acetylationby the Ets family oncoprotein PU.1. Mol. Cell. Biol. 22:3729-3743 (2002).

Nagulapalli, S. and Atchison, M.L. The transcription factor Pip can enhance DNA binding by E47 leading to transcriptional synergy involving multiple protein domains. Mol. Cell. Biol. 18: 4639-4650 (1998).

Yu, D., Allman, D., Goldschmidt, M.H., Atchison, M.L., Monroe, J.G., and Thomas-Tikhonenko, A. Oscillation between B-lymphoid and myeloid lineages in Myc-induced hematopoietic tumors following spontaneous silencing/reactivation of the EBF/Pax5 pathway. Blood (2003, in press).

Atchison, M.L., Ghias, A., Wilkinson, F., Bonini, N., and Atchison, M.L. Transcription Factor YY1 Functions as a PcG Protein in Vivo. (2002, submitted).

 

Biomedical Graduate Studies | University of Pennsylvania | Contact