Publications

Selected publications:

From the Blais lab

Genome-wide association between Six4, MyoD, and the histone demethylase Utx during myogenesis.
Imane Chakroun, Dabo Yang, John Girgis, Atchayaa Gunasekharan, Hilary Phenix, Mads Kӕrn and Alexandre Blais (2015).
FASEB J. 2015 Nov;29(11):4738 Abstract

Transcriptional control of stem cell fate by E2Fs and pocket proteins
Lisa Julian and Alexandre Blais (2015).
Frontiers in Genetics. 2015 Apr 28;6:161 Abstract

Tissue-specific targeting of cell fate regulatory genes by E2f factors
Julian LM, Liu Y, Pakenham CA, Dugal-Tessier D, Ruzhynsky V, Bae S, Tsai SY, Leone G, Slack RS, and Alexandre Blais (2013).
Cell Death & Differentiation. 2015 Apr 24. Abstract

Myogenesis in the Genomics Era
Alexandre Blais (2015).
Journal of Molecular Biology. 2015 Jun 5;427(11):2023-2038. Abstract

Six1 regulates MyoD expression in adult muscle progenitor cells.
Yubing Liu, Iman Chakroun, Dabo Yang, Ellias Horner, Jieyi Liang, Arif Aziz, Alphonse Chu, Yves De Repentigny, F. Jeffrey Dilworth, Rashmi Kothary and Alexandre Blais (2013).
PLoS ONE. 2013 Jun 28;8(6):e67762 Abstract

Rb and chromatin remodeling in the maintenance of the post-mitotic state of neurons.
Alexandre Blais (2013).
Cell Cycle. 2013 Jun 1;12(11):1661-2. Abstract

Discovery, optimization and validation of an optimal DNA-binding sequence for the Six1 homeodomain transcription factor.
Yubing Liu, Soumyadeep Nandi, André Martel, Alen Antoun, Ilya Ioshikhes and Alexandre Blais (2012).
Nucleic Acids Research, 40(17):8227-39 Abstract

A new mode of cell cycle stimulation: Cyclin E and CDK2-mediated cytoplasmic retention of repressive E2F complexes.
Alexandre Blais (2012).
Cell Cycle, Aug 15;11(16). Abstract

Epigenetic regulation of satellite cells in muscle regeneration.
F. Jeffrey Dilworth and Alexandre Blais (2011).
Stem Cell Research and Therapy, 2(2):18. Abstract

Cooperation Between Myogenic Regulatory Factors and SIX Family Transcription Factors is Important for Myoblast Differentiation.
Yubing Liu, Alphonse Chu, Imane Chakroun, Uzma Islam, Alexandre Blais. (2010).
Nucleic Acids Research, 38(20):6857-71. Abstract

Collaborations

Global MEF2 target gene analysis in cardiac and skeletal muscle reveals novel regulation of DUSP6 by p38MAPK-MEF2 signaling.
Wales S, Hashemi S, Alexandre Blais , and J. C. McDermott (2015).
Nucleic Acids Res. 2014 Oct;42(18):11349-62 Abstract

Low birth weight is associated with adiposity, impaired skeletal muscle energetics and weight loss resistance in mice.
Beauchamp B, Ghosh S, Dysart MW, Kanaan GN, Chu A, Alexandre Blais, Rajamanickam K, Tsai EC, Patti ME, Harper ME. (2015).
Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Apr;39(4):702-11 Abstract

Keeping them all together: β-propeller domains in histone methyltransferase complexes.
Bergamin E, Alexandre Blais, Couture JF (2014).
J Mol Biol. 2014 Oct 9;426(20):3363-75. Abstract

Identification of cis-regulatory modules in promoters of human genes exploiting mutual positioning of transcription factors.
Soumyadeep Nandi, Alexandre Blais and Ilya Ioshikhes(2013).
Nucleic Acids Research, 40(17):8227-39 Abstract

Opposing Regulation of Sox2 by Cell-Cycle Effectors E2f3a and E2f3b in Neural Stem Cells..
Lisa M. Julian, Catherine A. Pakenham, Renaud Vandenbosch, Devon Svoboda, Kelly A. McClellan, David S. Park, Gustavo Leone, Alexandre Blais* and Ruth Slack*(2012).
Cell Stem Cell, 2013 Mar 13 Abstract

The Rb/E2F Pathway Modulates Neurogenesis through Direct Regulation of the Dlx1/Dlx2 Bigene Cluster.
Noël Ghanem, Matthew G Andrusiak, Devon Svoboda, Sawsan M Al Lafi, Lisa M Julian, Kelly A McClellan, Yves De Repentigny, Rashmi Kothary, Marc Ekker, Alexandre Blais, David S Park, Ruth S Slack (2012).
The Journal of Neuroscience 32 (24), 8219-8230. Abstract

Microtubule stability, Golgi organization, and transport flux require dystonin-a2/MAP1B interaction.
Scott D. Ryan, Kunal Bhanot, Yves De Repentigny, Alphonse Chu, Alexandre Blais, and Rashmi Kothary (2012).
Journal of Cell Biology,196(6):727-42. Abstract

Retinoic Acid Enhances Skeletal Myogenesis in Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Expanding the Premyogenic Progenitor Population.
T. Ryan, J. Liu, Alphonse Chu, L. Wang, Alexandre Blais, and I.S. Skerjanc (2011).
Stem Cell Reviews, Epub ahead of print. Abstract

Crystal structure of the trithorax group protein ASH2L reveals a forkhead-like DNA binding domain.
S. Sarvan, V. Avdic, V. Tremblay, C.P. Chaturvedi, P. Zhang, S. Lanouette, Alexandre Blais, J.S. Brunzelle, M. Brand, and J.F. Couture.
Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. 2011 Jun 5;18(7):857-9. Abstract

Lipin - The Bridge between Hepatic Glycerolipid Biosynthesis and Lipoprotein Metabolism.
Maroun Bou Khalil, Alexandre Blais, Daniel Figeys and Zemin Yao (2010).
BBA - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1801(12):1249-59. Abstract

The mammalian Sin3 complex is required for muscle development and sarcomere specification.
Chris van Oevelen, Christopher Bowman, Jessica Pellegrino, Patrik Asp, Jemmie Cheng, Fabio Parisi, Mariann Micsinai, Yuval Kluger, Alphonse Chu, Alexandre Blais, Gregory David, and Brian D. Dynlacht. (2010).
Molecular and Cellular Biology, 30(24):5686-97. Abstract

UTX-mediated demethylation of nucleosomes occurs through a two-step mechanism to activate developmentally-regulated gene expression.
Shayesta Seenundun, Shravanti Rampalli, Qi-Cai Liu, SunHwa Hong, Carmen Palii, Alexandre Blais, Marjorie Brand, Kai Ge, F. Jeffrey Dilworth (2009).
EMBO Journal, 29(8): 1401-11. Abstract

Six1 and Six4 gene expression is necessary to activate the fast-type muscle gene program in the mouse primary myotome.
Claire Niro, Josiane Demignon, Stéphane Vincent, Yubing Liu, Julien Giordani, Maryline Favier, Isabelle Guillet-Deniau, Alexandre Blais, Pascal Maire (2009).
Developmental Biology, 15;338(2):168-82. Abstract

SOX15 and SOX7 Differentially Regulate the Myogenic Program in P19 Cells.
Josée Savage, Andrew Conley, Alexandre Blais, Ilona Skerjanc (2009).
Stem Cells, 27(6):1231-43. Abstract

Older work

Traf7, a MyoD1 transcriptional target, regulates NFKB activity during myogenesis.
Mary Tsikitis, Diego Acosta-Alvear, Alexandre Blais, Eric I. Campos, William Lane, Irma Sánchez, and Brian David Dynlacht (2010).
EMBO Reports, 11(12):969-76. Abstract

pRb-specific methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 is associated to irreversible cell cycle exit.
Alexandre Blais, Chris J.C. van Oevelen, Diego Acosta-Alvear, and Brian David Dynlacht (2007).
Journal of Cell Biology, 179(7): 1399-1412. Abstract

Ezh1 and Ezh2 maintain repressive chromatin through different mechanisms.
Raphael Margueron, Guohong Li, Kavitha Sarma, Alexandre Blais, Jiri Zivadil, Brian Dynlacht, and Danny Reinberg (2008).
Mol Cell. 32(4):503-18. Abstract

E2F-associated chromatin modifiers and cell cycle control.
Alexandre Blais and Brian D. Dynlacht (2007).
Current Opinions in Cell Biology. 19(6):658-62. Abstract

XBP1 controls diverse cell type- and condition-specific transcriptional regulatory networks.
Diego Acosta-Alvear, Yiming Zhou, Alexandre Blais, Mary Tsikitis, Nathan H. Lents, Carolina Arias, Christen J. Lennon, Yuval Kluger, and Brian David Dynlacht (2007).
Mol. Cell, 27:53-66. Abstract

Functional genomics via multiscale analysis: application to gene expression and ChIP-on-chip data.
Gilad Lerman, Joseph McQuown, Alexandre Blais, Brian D. Dynlacht, Guangliang Chen and Bud Mishra. (2006).
Bioinformatics, 23: 314-320. Abstract

ASK-1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1) is a direct E2F target gene.
Zoulika Kherrouche, Alexandre Blais, Elisabeth Ferreira, Yvan De Launoit and Didier Monté.(2006).
Biochemical Journal, 396: 547–556. Abstract

Constructing transcriptional regulatory networks.
Alexandre Blais and Brian D. Dynlacht. (2005).
Genes and Development, 19(13): 1499-1511. Abstract

Devising transcriptional regulatory networks operating during the cell cycle and differentiation using ChIP-on-chip.
Alexandre Blais and Brian D. Dynlacht. (2005).
Chromosome Research, 13(3): 275-288. Abstract

An initial blueprint for myogenic differentiation.
Alexandre Blais, M. Tsikitis, D. Acosta-Alvear, R. Sharan, Y Kluger and B.D. Dynlacht. (2005).
Genes and Development 19(5): 553-569. Abstract

A common set of gene regulatory networks links metabolism and growth inhibition.
H. Cam, E. Balciunaite, Alexandre Blais, A. Spektor, R.C. Scarpulla, R.A. young, Y. Kluger and B.D. Dynlacht. (2004).
Molecular Cell 16(3):399-411. Abstract

Hitting their targets: an emerging picture of E2F and cell cycle control.
Alexandre Blais and Brian D. Dynlacht. (2004).
Current Opinions in Genetics and Development 14(5):527-532. Abstract

Overexpression of a dominant negative type II bone morphogenetic protein receptor inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cells.
F. Pouliot, Alexandre Blais and C. Labrie. (2003).
Cancer Research 63(2):277-81. Abstract

Regulation of the human cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p18INK4c by the transcription factors E2F1 and Sp1.
Alexandre Blais, D. Monté, F. Pouliot and C. Labrie. (2002).
Journal of Biological Chemistry 277(35):31679-93. Abstract

Structure of the gene encoding the human cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p18 and mutational analysis in breast cancer.
Alexandre Blais, Yvan Labrie, Frédéric Pouliot, Yves Lachance, Claude Labrie. (1998).
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication 247(1): 146-53. Abstract