Gene regulation by nucleosome positioning.
To achieve high compaction, most genomic DNA in eukaryotes is incorporated into nucleosomes; however, regulatory factors and transcriptional machinery must gain access to chromatin to extract genetic information. This conflict is partially resolved by a particular arrangement of nucleosome locations on the genome. Across all eukaryotic species, promoters and other regulatory sequences are more nucleosome-depleted, whereas transcribed regions tend to be occupied with well-positioned, high-density nucleosomal arrays. This nucleosome positioning pattern, as well as its dynamic regulation, facilitates the access of transcription factors to their target sites and plays a crucial role in determining the transcription level, cell-to-cell variation and activation or repression dynamics.
Bai
Lu
L
The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA. lbai01@rockefeller.edu
Morozov
Alexandre V
AV
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D009707:Nucleosomes