Evolution of Functionality of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) Interdisciplinary Renewable & ,1 2 2 3 3 Environmental Zakiya Barnes* , Akongnwi Jungong, Kathryn Thomasson, Rebecca Simmons, Diane Darland Chemistry REU *Interdisciplinary Renewable and Environmental Chemistry REU Program, 1Savannah State University, 2Department of Chemistry, 3Department of Biology, University North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA

Central Question: • How does the structure‐function relationship of one epigenetic gene expression regulator (PRC2) vary across taxa? • How does DNA accessibility alter the genotype/phenotype relationship? Research Project: • Search Protein Data Bank (PDB) for the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) components and identify critical sequences and structural elements that are conserved or divergent for amniote (1.) and mammal (2.) splits across vertebrate taxa. Source: Raphaël Margueron & Danny Reinberg, 2011 • Analyze the primary structure of PRC2 relationship between amino acid changes. Structure/ Function/ Expression: Conclusion:

Evolutionary shift in PRC2 component: EED Crystal structure of an active The evolutionary shifts in the Polycomb Repressive polycomb repressive complex 2 in Complex 2 component EED, SUZ12, and EZH2 were the stimulated state identified for both mammal and amniote splits for the evolution of vertebrates,. PRC2 component EED is the most evolutionarily conserved with only 10 amino acid changed between the amniote split and 4 between the mammal split.

Using Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD), the PRC2 complex was recreated with components EED, 1. 4 AA changes PDB ID: 5CH1 SUZ12, and EZH2 and its sub‐ domains using PDB (50% between classes) ID: 5CH1, 5CH2, and 5HYN structures. 2. 10 AA changes (60% between classes)

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates under Grant No. CHE 1460825. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.