The danger of epigenetics misconceptions (epigenetics and stuff…).
Within the past two decades, the fields of chromatin structure and function and transcription regulation research started to fuse and overlap, as evidence mounted to support a very strong regulatory role in gene expression that was associated with histone post-translational modifications, DNA methylation, as well as various chromatin-associated proteins (the pillars of the "Epigenetics" building). The fusion and convergence of these complementary fields is now often simply referred to as "Epigenetics". During these same 20 years, numerous new research groups have started to recognize the importance of chromatin composition, conformation, and its plasticity. However, as the field started to grow exponentially, its growth came with the spreading of several important misconceptions, which have unfortunately led to improper or hasty conclusions. The goal of this short "opinion" piece is to attempt to minimize future misinterpretations of experimental results and ensure that the right sets of experiment are used to reach the proper conclusion, at least as far as epigenetic mechanisms are concerned.
a Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755, USA.|b Cell Differentiation and Development Center, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA.|c Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV 25755, USA.
Philippe T
PT
Georgel
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D011361:Professional Competence; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D000078329:Workforce
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006657:Histones
ChIP; chromatin; chromatine; epigenetics; modifications post-traductionnelles d’histones; nucleosome/histone post-translational modifications; nucléosome; épigénétique