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Histone acetylation: a switch between repressive and permissive chromatin
Author(s) -
Eberharter Anton,
Becker Peter B
Publication year - 2002
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 - 10.1093/embo-reports/kvf053
Subject(s) - histone modifying enzymes , chromatin , nucleosome , chromatin remodeling , microbiology and biotechnology , histone , biology , histone code , histone h1 , scaffold/matrix attachment region , acetylation , histone h2a , genetics , dna , gene
The organization of eukaryotic chromatin has a major impact on all nuclear processes involving DNA substrates. Gene expression is affected by the positioning of individual nucleosomes relative to regulatory sequence elements, by the folding of the nucleosomal fiber into higher‐order structures and by the compartmentalization of functional domains within the nucleus. Because site‐specific acetylation of nucleosomal histones influences all three aspects of chromatin organization, it is central to the switch between permissive and repressive chromatin structure. The targeting of enzymes that modulate the histone acetylation status of chromatin, in synergy with the effects mediated by other chromatin remodeling factors, is central to gene regulation.