Translating the Histone Code
Tóm tắt
Chromatin, the physiological template of all eukaryotic genetic information, is subject to a diverse array of posttranslational modifications that largely impinge on histone amino termini, thereby regulating access to the underlying DNA. Distinct histone amino-terminal modifications can generate synergistic or antagonistic interaction affinities for chromatin-associated proteins, which in turn dictate dynamic transitions between transcriptionally active or transcriptionally silent chromatin states. The combinatorial nature of histone amino-terminal modifications thus reveals a “histone code” that considerably extends the information potential of the genetic code. We propose that this epigenetic marking system represents a fundamental regulatory mechanism that has an impact on most, if not all, chromatin-templated processes, with far-reaching consequences for cell fate decisions and both normal and pathological development.
Từ khóa
Tài liệu tham khảo
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We thank G. Reuter and members of our laboratories for allowing us to cite unpublished observations. We are particularly grateful to S. Rea for his assistance in preparing the figures. Supported by the IMP through Boehringer Ingelheim and by grants from the Austrian Research Promotion Fund and the Vienna Economy Promotion Fund (T.J.) and by NIH grant GM53512 and an NIH MERIT award (C.D.A.). This article is dedicated to the memory of Alan Wolffe an inspirational leader to all of us who have pondered the mysteries of chromatin and gene regulation.
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