Chd1 remodelers maintain open chromatin and regulate the epigenetics of differentiation

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Experimental Cell Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.YEXCR.2010.02.029· OSTI ID:22212074

Persson, Jenna ^[1]; Ekwall, Karl ^[1]

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1. Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center for Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet (Sweden)

Eukaryotic DNA is packaged around octamers of histone proteins into nucleosomes, the basic unit of chromatin. In addition to enabling meters of DNA to fit within the confines of a nucleus, the structure of chromatin has functional implications for cell identity. Covalent chemical modifications to the DNA and to histones, histone variants, ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, small noncoding RNAs and the level of chromatin compaction all contribute to chromosomal structure and to the activity or silencing of genes. These chromatin-level alterations are defined as epigenetic when they are heritable from mother to daughter cell. The great diversity of epigenomes that can arise from a single genome permits a single, totipotent cell to generate the hundreds of distinct cell types found in humans. Two recent studies in mouse and in fly have highlighted the importance of Chd1 chromatin remodelers for maintaining an open, active chromatin state. Based on evidence from fission yeast as a model system, we speculate that Chd1 remodelers are involved in the disassembly of nucleosomes at promoter regions, thus promoting active transcription and open chromatin. It is likely that these nucleosomes are specifically marked for disassembly by the histone variant H2A.Z.

• OSTI ID: 22212074
• Journal Information: Experimental Cell Research, Journal Name: Experimental Cell Research Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 316; ISSN 0014-4827; ISSN ECREAL
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ATP
DNA
HISTONES
MICE
MOTHS
NUCLEOSOMES
PROMOTERS
RNA
TRANSCRIPTION
YEASTS