title: Many paths lead chromatin to the nuclear periphery.
abstract: It is now well accepted that defined architectural compartments within the cell nucleus can regulate the transcriptional activity of chromosomal domains within their vicinity. However, it is generally unclear how these compartments are formed. The nuclear periphery has received a great deal of attention as a repressive compartment that is implicated in many cellular functions during development and disease. The inner nuclear membrane, the nuclear lamina, and associated proteins compose the nuclear periphery and together they interact with proximal chromatin creating a repressive environment. A new study by Harr et al. identifies specific protein-DNA interactions and epigenetic states necessary to re-position chromatin to the nuclear periphery in a cell-type specific manner. Here, we review concepts in gene positioning within the nucleus and current accepted models of dynamic gene repositioning within the nucleus during differentiation. This study highlights that myriad pathways lead to nuclear organization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Molly R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sima
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.|Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
chemical_list: D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones
keywords: histone modifications; lamina-associated domains; nuclear lamina; nuclear organization