Research Project Outline
Modifi cation of histones play an important role for regulation of gene expression during development. We have recently found that the histone variants expressed in oocyte and testis also present in the early embryo. We also found that these histone variants have the capacity to reprogram somatic cells. In this research, we are attempting to study the mechanism of reprogramming by these histone variants, and to contribute to establish the basic technology for reprogramming of so-matic cells.