title: A new insight into male genome reprogramming by histone variants and histone code.
abstract: The very nature of the packed male genome, essentially containing non-histone proteins, suggests that most of the epigenetic marks which have been defined in somatic cells are not valid in mature male gametes and that new specific rules prevail for the transmission of epigenetic information in male germ cells. Recent investigations are now uncovering a male-specific genome reprogramming mechanism, which likely cooperates with and extends beyond DNA methylation, specifying different regions of the genome and which could encode a new type of epigenetic information transmitted to the egg. Here we highlight the general traits of this unconventional male-specific epigenetic code, which largely relies on the use of histone variants and specific histone modifications.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U823, Grenoble, France, and Université Joseph Fourier, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Fayçal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boussouar
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rousseaux
authors.forename: Saadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khochbin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D042421:Histone Code / Q000502:physiology*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006657:Histones