Chromatin proteomics and epigenetic regulatory circuits

Abstract

Many phenotypic changes of eukaryotic cells due to changes in gene expression depend on alterations in chromatin structure. Processes involved in the alteration of chromatin are diverse and include post-translational modifications of histone proteins, incorporation of specific histone variants, methylation of DNA and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling. Interconnected with these processes are the localization of chromatin domains within the nuclear architecture and the appearance of various classes of noncoding regulatory RNAs. Recent experiments underscore the role of these processes in influencing diverse biological functions. However, the evidence to date implies the importance of an interplay of all these chromatin-changing functions, generating an epigenetic regulatory circuit that is still not well understood.

Keywords::

• chromatin
• chromatin remodeling
• DNA methylation
• epigenetics
• histone
• histone variant
• noncoding RNA
• nuclear architecture
• post-translational modification
• regulatory circuit

Acknowledgements

We thank Emily Bernstein, Cristina Chioda and Tobias Straub for critical reading of the manuscript. We apologize to colleagues whose original work could not be cited because of space constraints.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the DFG grants HA 5437/1-1 and HA 437/2-1 to Sandra B Hake and an ERASMUS program grant to Nikos K Orfanos.

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.