title: Cell fate conversion: a chromatin remodeling checkpoint revealed.
abstract: In a new paper in Cell Research, Ji et al. find that transcription factor-instigated opening of chromatin, during cell reprogramming, can be sensed by the Baf60b-containing chromatin remodeling complex, which then activates the ATM-p53 pathway, leading to cell death. These findings from reprogramming studies unveil what I term a "chromatin remodeling checkpoint" whereby extensive, inappropriate chromatin opening events lead to cell elimination, thus preventing cell fate conversion that might occur upon tissue damage; if unchecked, such conversion could lead to metaplasia and cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 9-131 SCTR, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104-5157, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Zaret
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002843:Chromatin; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53