Colin Conine

Colin Conine

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology & Newborn Services)

215-573-1720

BRB II/III 1309, 421 Curie Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Lab website

Research Area

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology & Newborn Services)

Additional Appointment Titles

  • Core Member, Penn Epigenetics Institute
  • Faculty, Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine
  • Faculty, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health
  • Scientist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Investigator, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology

Graduate Group Affiliations

Links

Education

  • BS (Biochemistry)
    University of Rochester, 2007.
  • PhD (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    University of Massachusetts, Medical School, 2014.

Post-Graduate Training

  • Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2014-2019.

Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests:

  • The functions of small RNAs in fertility, inheritance, and development.
  • Key words: RNA, sperm, embryogenesis, fertility, epigenetics, microRNAs, epididymis, extracellular vesicles

Research Details:

We are particularly interested in how RNAs present in sperm are capable of transmitting non-genetic information to their progeny, influencing offspring phenotype. This includes, 1) how small RNAs regulate gene expression in the male germline to support spermatogenesis and fertility, 2) how small RNAs are packaged into mature sperm, 3) how RNAs transmitted during fertilization are able to regulate early embryonic gene expression and development, and 4) how this regulation can alter developmental programs to produce a non-genetically inherited phenotype. The lab utilizes a combination of state-of-the-art genomic, molecular biology, and assisted reproduction techniques across multiple model systems including mice, embryonic stem cells, and C. elegans to understand these questions.

Rotation Projects:

  • The functions of sperm-transmitted small RNAs on embryonic gene expression and development in mice
  • C. elegans as a model to understand paternal epigenetic inheritance
  • Soma-to-germline communication of RNAs from the epididymis to sperm in mammals
  • Conservation of sperm RNAs across species
  • Novel imprinted genes in early embryonic development in mice
  • The effect of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) on embryonic development and offspring phenotype

Selected Publications

Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Murga-Garrido SM, Ting-Chun Pan J, Bhanap P, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T.: The microbiota and T cells non-genetically modulate inherited phenotypes transgenerationally. Cell Reports 43: 114029, Apr 2024.

Senaldi L, Hassan N, Cullen S, Balaji U, Trigg N, Gu J, Finkelstein H, Phillips K, Conine C, Smith-Raska M.: Khdc3 Regulates Metabolism Across Generations in a DNA-Independent Manner. eLife April 2024.

Golden, Thea N., Mani, Sneha, Linn, Rebecca L., Leite, Rita, Trigg, Natalie A., Wilson, Annette, Anton, Lauren, Mainigi, Monica, Conine, Colin C., Kaufman, Brett A., Strauss, Jerome F., Parry, Samuel, Simmons, Rebecca A.: Extracellular vesicles alter trophoblast function in pregnancies complicated by COVID-19. bioRxiv February 2024.

Trigg, Natalie A., Conine, Colin C.: Epididymal acquired sperm microRNAs modify post-fertilization embryonic gene expression. Cell Reports Accepted, Accepted 2024.

Scacchetti A, Shields EJ, Trigg NA, Wilusz JE, Conine CC, Bonasio R.: A ligation-independent sequencing method reveals tRNA-derived RNAs with blocked 3′ termini. Molecular Cell In press 2024 Notes: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1097-2765(24)00584-7.

Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T.: The microbiota and immune system non-genetically affect offspring phenotypes transgenerationally. bioRxiv Apr 2023.

Crocker OJ, Trigg NA, Conine CC.: Cloning and Sequencing Eukaryotic Small RNAs. Curr Protoc August 2022.

Lee GS, Conine CC.: The Transmission of Intergenerational Epigenetic Information by Sperm microRNAs. Epigenomes 6: 12, Apr 2022.

Conine CC, Rando OJ.: Soma-to-germline RNA communication. Nat Rev Genet February 2022.

Carolina Galan, Ryan W Serra, Fengyun Sun, Vera D Rinaldi, Colin C Conine, Oliver J Rando : Stability of the cytosine methylome during post-testicular sperm maturation in mouse. PLOS Genetics 4(17): e1009416, March 2021.