Epigenetic effects in eukaryotic gene expression.
In the broadest terms, epigenetic phenomena in eukaryotes depend on the interaction of alleles or repeated sequences or on the mitotic inheritance of chromatin states or methylation patterns. One of the most exciting aspects of the study of epigenetic phenomena is the insight that can be gained into the structure and assembly of higher-order chromatin structures, an important subject that has proved refractory to current biochemical methodologies. Rapid progress in the study of gene inactivation in fungi, plants, and invertebrates will provide new hypotheses to be tested in mammals.
Bestor
T H
TH
Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Chandler
V L
VL
Feinberg
A P
AP
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D008938:Mitosis; D005810:Multigene Family; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology
D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C060849:z protein, Drosophila; D004247:DNA