Breaking into the secret conversation between cholesterol and genome stability – GenomeSterolity

The nucleus of the cell, defined by the nuclear membrane, encloses the genetic material, whose maintenance is essential to ensure the homeostasis of cells and organisms. A dedicated surveillance and repair network, believed to be mostly composed by proteins, accomplishes this task in the nucleus. Recently, the idea that metabolic, nutritional and environmental signals impact genome integrity is emerging. The molecular mechanisms governing this connection represent a new, complex and under-studied research area whose understanding would impact our management of genetic diseases. We have found that the lipids composing the nuclear membrane have not only a structural role, but also a strong signaling power to dictate how DNA damage is detected and repaired. With cholesterol as the main actor, this project seeks to characterize three precise molecular phenomena by which lipids may condition the integrity of the genome.