title: Chromatin priming of genes in development: Concepts, mechanisms and consequences.
abstract: During ontogeny, cells progress through multiple alternate differentiation states by activating distinct gene regulatory networks. In this review, we highlight the important role of chromatin priming in facilitating gene activation during lineage specification and in maintaining an epigenetic memory of previous gene activation. We show that chromatin priming is part of a hugely diverse repertoire of regulatory mechanisms that genes use to ensure that they are expressed at the correct time, in the correct cell type, and at the correct level, but also that they react to signals. We also emphasize how increasing our knowledge of these principles could inform our understanding of developmental failure and disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: c.bonifer@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Constanze
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonifer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: p.n.cockerill@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Cockerill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin