Chromosomal elements conferring epigenetic inheritance
Article Abstract:
Author's Abstract: COPYRIGHT 1999, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Epigenetic regulation of transcription can lead to a stable differential expression of identical genetic information in the same cell or cell population. There is increasing evidence that higher order chromatin structures, involving specific multiprotein complexes, constitute one device to establish and maintain epigenetic marks. In addition, defined chromosomal elements conferring epigenetic inheritance of transcriptional expression states have recently been identified. During the period where the difference in expression of identical genes is established, these sequences appear to be used as switch elements by both negataive and positive regulators. Once the epigenetic mark is "set", the elements maintain either the silenced or the activated expression state over many cell generations. Here we review recent data obtained from analyzing epigenetic gene regulation in different organisms and show that similarities in the underlying mechanisms appear to exist.
Publication Name: BioEssays
Subject: Biological sciences
ISSN: 0265-9247
Year: 1999
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Duplication, divergence and formation of novel protein topologies
Article Abstract:
A study is presented which explored one possible underlying mechanism called permutation-by-duplication, which produces special forms of motif rearrangements called circular permutations. An important proof of the plausibility of the permutation-by-duplication mechanism, proposed to generate circular permutations in DNA-MTases is presented.
Publication Name: BioEssays
Subject: Biological sciences
ISSN: 0265-9247
Year: 2006
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