A mark of silence in malaria parasites.
Gene families in malaria parasites that encode hypervariable surface antigens display mutually exclusive expression that is controlled epigenetically. In this issue, Lopez-Rubio et al. (2009) show that the histone mark H3K9me3 is specifically associated with regulation of expression of these gene families within repressive centers located at the nuclear periphery.
Deitsch
Kirk W
KW
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. kwd2001@med.cornell.edu
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D006657:Histones