Cellular memory modules

Cellular memory modules were discovered by François Jacob and Jaques Monod in 1961 at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.

[3] Transcription resets and alters epigenetic marks on chromosomal memory elements that are regulated by PcG and trxG proteins.

This experiment was able to identify a minimal cellular memory module of 219 bp originating from the Drosophila Fab-7 region which regulates the Abdominal-B gene.

These devices can record stimulus exposure, maintain gene expression, and identify cell populations that respond to specific events along with tracking their progression throughout the response.

[8] Experimenters can use these synthetic memory devices to simulate specific events like exposure to potential disease risk factors to determine their physiological effects early on.

Additionally, memory modules can accomplish long-term maintenance of their desired protein levels by using their output as regulatory input in order to perform new functions.

This allows a memory module to assist in gene therapy, either curing or improving a person’s ability to fight disease.

It has been discovered that these PcG proteins are able to modulate the tumor microenvironment’s metabolism and immune response, impacting the cancer’s development.