Journal article
Shining Light on the Dark Side of the Genome
Cells (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.11(3), p.330
02/01/2022
DOI: 10.3390/cells11030330
PMCID: PMC8834555
PMID: 35159140
Abstract
Heterochromatin has historically been considered the dark side of the genome. In part, this reputation derives from its concentration near centromeres and telomeres, regions of the genome repressive to nuclear functions such as DNA replication and transcription. The repetitive nature of heterochromatic DNA has only added to its "darkness", as sequencing of these DNA regions has been only recently achieved. Despite such obstacles, research on heterochromatin blossomed over the past decades. Success in this area benefitted from efforts of Sergio Pimpinelli and colleagues who made landmark discoveries and promoted the growth of an international community of researchers. They discovered complexities of heterochromatin, demonstrating that a key component, Heterochromatin Protein 1a (HP1a), uses multiple mechanisms to associate with chromosomes and has positive and negative effects on gene expression, depending on the chromosome context. In addition, they updated the work of Carl Waddington using molecular tools that revealed how environmental stress promotes genome change due to transposable element movement. Collectively, their research and that of many others in the field have shined a bright light on the dark side of the genome and helped reveal many mysteries of heterochromatin.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Shining Light on the Dark Side of the Genome
- Creators
- Lori L. Wallrath - Univ Iowa, Dept Biochem & Mol Biol, Carver Coll Med, Iowa City, IA 52242 USAFelipe Rodriguez-Tirado - Univ Iowa, Dept Biochem & Mol Biol, Carver Coll Med, Iowa City, IA 52242 USAPamela K. Geyer - Univ Iowa, Dept Biochem & Mol Biol, Carver Coll Med, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Cells (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.11(3), p.330
- DOI
- 10.3390/cells11030330
- PMID
- 35159140
- PMCID
- PMC8834555
- NLM abbreviation
- Cells
- ISSN
- 2073-4409
- eISSN
- 2073-4409
- Publisher
- Mdpi
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- R01GM087341; R21AG072397; R21AR075193 / NIH; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/01/2022
- Academic Unit
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University College Courses
- Record Identifier
- 9984288728902771
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