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A genetic system to assess in vivo the functions of histones and histone modifications in higher eukaryotes
Author(s) -
Günesdogan Ufuk,
Jäckle Herbert,
Herzig Alf
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/embor.2010.124
Subject(s) - histone code , histone , biology , chromatin , nucleosome , histone h2a , genetics , histone methylation , histone h1 , microbiology and biotechnology , histone modifying enzymes , histone methyltransferase , computational biology , dna , gene , gene expression , dna methylation
Despite the fundamental role of canonical histones in nucleosome structure, there is no experimental system for higher eukaryotes in which basic questions about histone function can be directly addressed. We developed a new genetic tool for Drosophila melanogaster in which the canonical histone complement can be replaced with multiple copies of experimentally modified histone transgenes. This new histone‐replacement system provides a well‐defined and direct cellular assay system for histone function with which to critically test models in chromatin biology dealing with chromatin assembly, variant histone functions and the biological significance of distinct histone modifications in a multicellular organism.