Translating the Histone Code

Chromatin, the physiological template of all eukaryotic genetic information, is subject to a diverse array of posttranslational modifications that largely impinge on histone amino termini, thereby regulating access to the underlying DNA. Distinct histone amino-terminal modifications can generate syn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inScience (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 293; no. 5532; pp. 1074 - 1080
Main Authors Jenuwein, Thomas, Allis, C. David
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Society for the Advancement of Science 10.08.2001
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science
Subjects
Acetylation
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Cells
Cells (Biology)
Chromatin
Chromatin - chemistry
Chromatin - metabolism
Chromatin - ultrastructure
Coding
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Double stranded RNA
Epigenetics
Eukaryotes
Eukaryotic cells
Evidence
Gene Expression Regulation
Gene Silencing
Genes
Genetic aspects
Genetic code
Genetics
Genomic Imprinting
Genomics
Heredity
Histones
Histones - chemistry
Histones - genetics
Histones - metabolism
Individualized Instruction
Information Storage
Methylation
Molecular Sequence Data
Nucleosomes
Phosphorylation
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Proteins
Stem cells
Transcription, Genetic
Transcriptional Activation
Viewpoints and Reviews
United States
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Summary:Chromatin, the physiological template of all eukaryotic genetic information, is subject to a diverse array of posttranslational modifications that largely impinge on histone amino termini, thereby regulating access to the underlying DNA. Distinct histone amino-terminal modifications can generate synergistic or antagonistic interaction affinities for chromatin-associated proteins, which in turn dictate dynamic transitions between transcriptionally active or transcriptionally silent chromatin states. The combinatorial nature of histone amino-terminal modifications thus reveals a "histone code" that considerably extends the information potential of the genetic code. We propose that this epigenetic marking system represents a fundamental regulatory mechanism that has an impact on most, if not all, chromatin-templated processes, with far-reaching consequences for cell fate decisions and both normal and pathological development.
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ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1063127