title: Heterochromatin and the molecular mechanisms of 'parent-of-origin' effects in animals.
abstract: Twenty five years ago it was proposed that conserved components of constitutive heterochromatin assemble heterochromatinlike complexes in euchromatin and this could provide a general mechanism for regulating heritable (cell-to-cell) changes in gene expressibility. As a special case, differences in the assembly of heterochromatin-like complexes on homologous chromosomes might also regulate the parent-of-origin-dependent gene expression observed in placental mammals. Here, the progress made in the intervening period with emphasis on the role of heterochromatin and heterochromatin-like complexes in parent-of-origin effects in animals is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Facherverbund Anatomie, Institut fur Zell- und Neuro-biologie, Charite - Universitatsmedizin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Prim B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D022041:Euchromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D022041:Euchromatin; D006570:Heterochromatin