A long-distance relationship between RNAi and Polycomb.
RNA interference (RNAi) pathways can result in sequence-specific transcriptional gene silencing on the level of chromatin. In this issue of Cell, Grimaud et al. (2006) reveal that the RNAi machinery is required for long-distance physical interactions between chromosomes mediated by the Polycomb repressive complex. These results suggest that the RNAi machinery may regulate higher-order nuclear organization.
Lei
Elissa P
EP
Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA.
Corces
Victor G
VG
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008957:Models, Genetic; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C066770:Pc protein, Drosophila; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1