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X‐chromosome upregulation and inactivation: two sides of the dosage compensation mechanism in mammals
Author(s) -
Dementyeva Elena V.,
Shevchenko Alexander I.,
Zakian Suren M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.080149
Subject(s) - dosage compensation , downregulation and upregulation , x inactivation , biology , x chromosome , gene , gene dosage , genetics , skewed x inactivation , mechanism (biology) , chromosome , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , philosophy , epistemology
Mammals have a very complex, tightly controlled, and developmentally regulated process of dosage compensation. One form of the process equalizes expression of the X‐linked genes, present as a single copy in males (XY) and as two copies in females (XX), by inactivation of one of the two X‐chromosomes in females. The second form of the process leads to balanced expression between the X‐linked and autosomal genes by transcriptional upregulation of the active X in males and females. However, not all X‐linked genes are absolutely balanced. This review is focused on the recent advances in studying the dosage compensation phenomenon in mammals.