Investigating genome occupancy of SOX10 in avian melanocytes

Domestic rock pigeons (Columba livia) homozygous for either of two “recessive red” mutations, which are partially-overlapping deletions causing downregulation of Sox10, display brilliant red colors instead of blue/black feathers. Sox10 encodes a transcription factor important for melanocyte differentiation and function, but the precise role that it plays in promoting eumelanin over pheomelanin pigment production in pigeons are unknown. In this study, we perform ChIPseq for SOX10, H3K27ac, and H3K27me3 to better understand the genome occupancy of SOX10 in avian melanocytes. Overall design: Chromatin-immunoprecipitation DNA sequencing (ChIPseq) for SOX10, as well as chromatin modifications H3K27ac and H3K27me3 in primary lines of pigeon melanocytes.