title: Common ground: small RNA programming and chromatin modifications.
abstract: Epigenetic mechanisms regulate genome structure and expression profiles in eukaryotes. RNA interference (RNAi) and other small RNA-based chromatin-modifying activities can act to reset the epigenetic landscape at defined chromatin domains. Centromeric heterochromatin assembly is a RNAi-dependent process in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and provides a paradigm for detailed examination of such epigenetic processes. Here we review recent progress in understanding the mechanisms that underpin RNAi-mediated heterochromatin formation in S. pombe. We discuss recent analyses of the events that trigger RNAi and manipulations which uncouple RNAi and chromatin modification. Finally we provide an overview of similar molecular machineries across species where related small RNA pathways appear to drive the epigenetic reprogramming in germ cells and/or during early development in metazoans.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology and Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, Scotland, UK. erwan.lejeune@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lejeune
authors.forename: Robin C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Allshire
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins