title: Chromatin-linked determinants of zygotic genome activation.
abstract: The merging of the maternal and paternal genomes into a single pronucleus after fertilization is accompanied by a remarkable reconfiguration of chromatin in the newly formed zygote. The first stages of embryonic chromatin remodeling take place in the absence of ongoing transcription, during a species-specific developmental time-frame. Once post-fertilization chromatin states are organized, zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is initiated, and embryonic transcripts gradually take control of development. We review here transitions in chromatin modifications associated with the onset of ZGA, and the role of transcription factors and DNA motifs in the regulation of ZGA. We propose a model of sequential chromatin remodeling events preceding ZGA, leading to the onset of embryonic transcription.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Epigenetics Laboratory, and Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1112 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Østrup
authors.forename: Ingrid S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D042003:DNA Packaging; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D059372:Nucleotide Motifs; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D014157:Transcription Factors