Gene repositioning within the cell nucleus is not random and is determined by its genomic neighborhood.

Background: Heterochromatin has been reported to be a major silencing compartment during development and differentiation. Prominent heterochromatin compartments are located at the nuclear periphery and inside the nucleus (e.g.

MeCP2 Rett mutations affect large scale chromatin organization.

Rett syndrome is a neurological, X chromosomal-linked disorder associated with mutations in the MECP2 gene. MeCP2 protein has been proposed to play a role in transcriptional regulation as well as in chromatin architecture. Since MeCP2 mutant cells exhibit surprisingly mild changes in gene expression, we have now explored the possibility that Rett mutations may affect the ability of MeCP2 to bind and organize chromatin.

Toward a Successful Clinical Neuroproteomics The 11th HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop 3 March, 2009, Kolymbari, Greece.

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 11th workshop in Kolymbari on March 3, 2009. The principal aim of this project is to obtain a better understanding of neurodiseases and ageing, with the ultimate objective of discovering prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, in addition to the development of novel diagnostic techniques and new medications. The attendees came together to discuss sub-project progress in the clinical neuroproteomics of human or mouse models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and to define the needs and guidelines required for more advanced proteomics approaches.

Proteomics Data Collection - 5th ProDaC Workshop: 4 March 2009, Kolympari, Crete, Greece.

The Proteomics Data Collection (ProDaC) consortium, a "Coordination Action" funded by the 6th EU Framework Programme, started in October 2006. Its aim was to facilitate the collection and distribution of proteomics data and the public availability of data sets from proteomics experiments. Within the consortium standard formats are created and tools are developed to allow extensive data collection within the proteomics community.

Getting a grip on proteomics data - Proteomics Data Collection (ProDaC).

In proteomics, rapid developments in instrumentation led to the acquisition of increasingly large data sets. Correspondingly, ProDaC was founded in 2006 as a Coordination Action project within the 6th European Union Framework Programme to support data sharing and community-wide data collection. The objectives of ProDaC were the development of documentation and storage standards, setup of a standardized data submission pipeline and collection of data.

Telomere dysfunction and DNA-PKcs deficiency: characterization and consequence.

The mechanisms by which cells accurately distinguish between DNA double-strand break (DSB) ends and telomeric DNA ends remain poorly defined. Recent investigations have revealed intriguing interactions between DNA repair and telomeres. We were the first to report a requirement for the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) protein DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in the effective end-capping of mammalian telomeres.

Proteomics data collection--4th ProDaC workshop 15 August 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

ProDaC (Proteomics Data Collection), a "Coordination Action" within the 6(th) EU framework programme, was created to support the collection, distribution and public availability of data from proteomics experiments. Within the consortium standards are created and maintained enabling an extensive data collection within the proteomics community. Important elements of ProDaC are workshops held twice a year to allow communication between the ProDaC partners and to report the ongoing progress.

Proteomics Data Collection - 3rd ProDaC workshop April 22nd 2008, Toledo, Spain.

The "Coordination Action" ProDaC (Proteomics Data Collection) - funded by the EU within the 6th framework programme - was created to support the dissemination, utilization and publication of proteomics data. Within this international consortium, standards are developed and maintained to support extensive data collection by the proteomics community. An important part of ProDaC are workshops organized on a regular basis (two per year) to allow discussions and communication between the ProDaC partners and to report on the progress of the project.

Maintaining standardization: an update of the HUPO Brain Proteome Project.

The Human Proteome Organisation was launched in February 2001 as a result of the need of an international proteomic forum to improve the understanding of human diseases. The initiative dealing with the brain is the Human Proteome Organisation Brain Proteome Project chaired in Germany and Korea. In order to estimate the existing approaches in brain proteomics, as well as to establish a standardized data reprocessing pipeline, pilot studies were initiated including both mouse and human samples.

The HUPO Brain Proteome project wish list--summary of the 9(th) HUPO BPP Workshop 9-10 January 2008, Barbados.

The Human Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) aims at advancing knowledge and the understanding of neurodiseases and aging with the purpose of identifying prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, as well as to push new diagnostic approaches and medications. The participating groups meet in semi-annual workshops to discuss the progress, as well as the needs, within the field of proteomics. The 9(th) HUPO BPP workshop took place in Barbados from 9-10 January, 2008.

Applications in brain proteomics: 8(th) HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop 7 October 2007, Seoul, Korea.

What are the current approaches in brain proteomics? Can we combine different, but complementary study designs to obtain better results concerning brain diseases? What are the neuro-hotspots, especially in Korea? These were some of the questions the participants of the 8(th) HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop tried to answer prior to the 6(th) HUPO World Congress in Seoul, Korea. Around 100 scientists came together during the afternoon of 7 October, 2007, to discuss and to catch up on the latest results and strategies concerning Huntington's disease, glioblastoma and standardization.

Proteomics Data Collection - 2nd ProDaC Workshop 5 October 2007, Seoul, Korea.

Proteomics Data Collection (ProDaC) is an EU-funded "Coordination Action" within the 6th framework programme. It aims to simplify the publication, dissemination and utilization of proteomics data by establishing standards that will support broad data collection from the research community. As a part of ProDaC, regular workshops are organized on a half-yearly basis to enable communication and discussion of the involved partners and to report on project progress.

Inside SMP proteomics: six years German Human Brain Proteome Project (HBPP) - a summary.

In 2001, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) initiated the National Genome Research Network (NGFN; www.ngfn.de) as a nation-wide multidisciplinary networking platform aiming at the analysis of common human diseases and aging.

International Symposium on High Performance Proteomics 2007: a contribution to Proteomics May 14-16, 2007 Dortmund, Germany.

The symposium High Performance Proteomics was held in Dortmund on May 14-16, 2007, to celebrate the opening of the Zentrum für Angewandte Proteomik as well as the 6(th) anniversary of the German Human Brain Proteome Project. It offered an outstanding opportunity to obtain a broad overview about all fields of proteomics and related fields, combining the expertise of biochemists, physicians, bioinformatics, mathematicians and other researchers in Life Sciences. The main topics were the presentation of state-of-the-art proteomics technologies as well as possible transfer models for industrial applications.

MeCP2 interacts with HP1 and modulates its heterochromatin association during myogenic differentiation.

There is increasing evidence of crosstalk between epigenetic modifications such as histone and DNA methylation, recognized by HP1 and methyl CpG-binding proteins, respectively. We have previously shown that the level of methyl CpG-binding proteins increased dramatically during myogenesis leading to large-scale heterochromatin reorganization. In this work, we show that the level of HP1 isoforms did not change significantly throughout myogenic differentiation but their localization did.

Proteomics Data Collection - the 1st ProDaC workshop 26 April 2007 Ecole Normale Supérieur, Lyon, France.

Proteomics Data Collection (ProDaC) is an EU funded "Coordination Action" within the 6(th) framework programme. It aims to simplify the publication, dissemination and utilization of proteomics data by establishing standards that will support broad data collection from the research community. The 1(st) ProDaC workshop 2007 (succeeding the kick-off meeting last year at the HUPO World Congress 2006) took place at the Ecole Normale Supérieur in Lyon, France.