Chromosome structural proteins and RNA-mediated epigenetic silencing.
Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins form the cohesin and condensin complexes and play important roles in sister chromatid pairing, chromosome segregation, and transcriptional regulation. Two papers in Nature Genetics now show that SMC-like proteins also participate in epigenetic processes such as X inactivation in mammals and RNA-directed DNA methylation in plants.
Heard
Edith
E
CNRS UMR 218, Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France. edith.heard@curie.fr
Colot
Vincent
V
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002842:Chromatids / Q000235:genetics; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008957:Models, Genetic; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097722:Cohesins
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D018744:DNA, Plant; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D012313:RNA; D000097722:Cohesins; C108312:condensin complexes