contradictory definitions of heterochromatin: transcription and silencing

Eukaryotic genomes are packaged in two general varieties of chromatin: gene-rich euchromatin and gene-poor heterochromatin. Each type of chromatin has been defined by the presence of distinct chromosomal proteins and posttranslational histone modifications. This review addresses recent findings that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inChromosoma Vol. 115; no. 2; pp. 110 - 122
Main Authors Huisinga, Kathryn L, Brower-Toland, Brent, Elgin, Sarah C. R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Austria Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.04.2006
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Animals
Euchromatin - physiology
Eukaryotes
Gene Silencing
Heterochromatin - physiology
RNA Polymerase II - physiology
RNA, Small Interfering - physiology
Terminology as Topic
Transcription, Genetic
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Summary:Eukaryotic genomes are packaged in two general varieties of chromatin: gene-rich euchromatin and gene-poor heterochromatin. Each type of chromatin has been defined by the presence of distinct chromosomal proteins and posttranslational histone modifications. This review addresses recent findings that appear to blur the definitions of euchromatin and heterochromatin by pointing to the presence of typically heterochromatic modifications (including H3K9me) in euchromatin and typically euchromatic enzymes (including RNA polymerases) in heterochromatin. We discuss the implications of these new findings for the current definition of heterochromatin.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00412-006-0052-x
ObjectType-Article-2
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ISSN:0009-5915
1432-0886
DOI:10.1007/s00412-006-0052-x