Abstract For This R56 Project Guiding Hypothesis: Zinc transport mediated by Zip14 (Slc39a14) influences gene expression in enterocytes that in turn alters intestinal barrier function. Goal: Evaluate mechanisms of enterocyte-specific Zip14 ablation and replacement zinc supplementation on epigenetic alterations including histone methylation and acetylation, transcription factor activation and lncRNAs and miRNAs that regulate genes in intestinal epithelial cells which influence barrier function.