CTCF: master weaver of the genome.
CTCF is a highly conserved zinc finger protein implicated in diverse regulatory functions, including transcriptional activation/repression, insulation, imprinting, and X chromosome inactivation. Here we re-evaluate data supporting these roles in the context of mechanistic insights provided by recent genome-wide studies and highlight evidence for CTCF-mediated intra- and interchromosomal contacts at several developmentally regulated genomic loci. These analyses support a primary role for CTCF in the global organization of chromatin architecture and suggest that CTCF may be a heritable component of an epigenetic system regulating the interplay between DNA methylation, higher-order chromatin structure, and lineage-specific gene expression.
Phillips
Jennifer E
JE
Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. jephill@emory.edu
Corces
Victor G
VG
D000818:Animals; D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; C000619697:CTCF protein, human; D002843:Chromatin; D012097:Repressor Proteins