Visualizing gene expression: an unfolding story.
Eukaryotic transcription is a dynamic process in which RNA polymerases read DNA templates that are tightly wrapped around histones. In this issue of Cell, Janicki et al. (2004) provide a glimpse of the events that follow transcriptional induction, using an integrated cytological system observed in real time. They find that local decondensation of the template is accompanied by profound changes in chromatin composition.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
Steven
S
Henikoff
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5