Combinatorial Assembly and Function Of Chromatin Regulatory Complexes

Abstract

The introduction of new methods for genome-wide analyses of the chromatin state, together with the power of refined techniques for mass spectrometry and biochemistry, has provided an unprecedented view on the complexity of eukaryotic gene regulation. Chromatin structure, the state of histone modifications and DNA methylation are highly dynamic and subject to various levels of regulation. In addition, the subunit compositions of the protein complexes that bring about these changes appear to be assembled in a combinatorial manner that is specific for the cell type and developmental stage, providing increased specificity to these complexes. Here we discuss recent evidence regarding the combinatorial control of chromatin regulatory complexes.

KEYWORDS::

• chromatin remodeling
• epigenetics
• gene regulation
• histone modifications
• Polycomb
• transcription
• Trithorax

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Veronica A Raker for comments on the manuscript, and members of Luciano Di Croce‘s laboratory for helpful discussion.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, AIRC (10-0177), and from AGAUR to L Di Croce. Martin Lange was funded by grants from Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (LA 2739/1-1) and Subprograma Juan de la Cierva, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (JCI-2009-04965); Santiago Demajo by PFIS fellowship; and Payal Jain by a ‘La Caixa‘ fellowship. 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.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, AIRC (10-0177), and from AGAUR to L Di Croce. Martin Lange was funded by grants from Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (LA 2739/1-1) and Subprograma Juan de la Cierva, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (JCI-2009-04965); Santiago Demajo by PFIS fellowship; and Payal Jain by a ‘La Caixa‘ fellowship. 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.