title: Epigenetic codes for heterochromatin formation and silencing: rounding up the usual suspects.
abstract: Recent results from diverse organisms point to a self-reinforcing network of interactions among the three best-characterized covalent modifications that mark heterochromatin: histone hypoacetylation, histone H3-Lys9 methylation, and cytosine methylation. These modification systems suggest a mechanistic basis for spreading of heterochromatin over large domains and for stable epigenetic inheritance of the silent state. All three modifications used in packaging heterochromatin are also used in stable silencing of euchromatic genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Sarah C R
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Elgin
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology*; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008745:Methylation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5