Absence of canonical marks of active chromatin in developmentally regulated genes.
The interplay of active and repressive histone modifications is assumed to have a key role in the regulation of gene expression. In contrast to this generally accepted view, we show that the transcription of genes temporally regulated during fly and worm development occurs in the absence of canonically active histone modifications. Conversely, strong chromatin marking is related to transcriptional and post-transcriptional stability, an association that we also observe in mammals. Our results support a model in which chromatin marking is associated with the stable production of RNA, whereas unmarked chromatin would permit rapid gene activation and deactivation during development. In the latter case, regulation by transcription factors would have a comparatively more important regulatory role than chromatin marks.
Centre for Genomic Regulation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Departament de Genètica (Facultat de Biologia) , Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Sílvia
S
Pérez-Lluch
Centre for Genomic Regulation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Departament de Genètica (Facultat de Biologia) , Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Enrique
E
Blanco
Centre for Genomic Regulation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Hagen
H
Tilgner
Centre for Genomic Regulation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Joao
J
Curado
Departament de Genètica (Facultat de Biologia) , Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Marina
M
Ruiz-Romero
Departament de Genètica (Facultat de Biologia) , Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Montserrat
M
Corominas
Centre for Genomic Regulation. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Roderic
R
Guigó
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones