The JmjC domain protein Epe1 prevents unregulated assembly and disassembly of heterochromatin.

ABSTRACT: Heterochromatin normally has prescribed chromosomal positions and must not encroach on adjacent regions. We demonstrate that the fission yeast protein Epe1 stabilises silent chromatin, preventing the oscillation of heterochromatin domains. Epe1 loss leads to two contrasting phenotypes: alleviation of silencing within heterochromatin and expansion of silent chromatin into neighbouring euchromatin. Thus, we propose that Epe1 regulates heterochromatin assembly and disassembly, thereby affecting heterochromatin integrity, centromere function and chromosome segregation fidelity. Epe1 regulates the extent of heterochromatin domains at the level of chromatin, not via the RNAi pathway. Analysis of an ectopically silenced site suggests that heterochromatin oscillation occurs in the absence of heter

SUBMITTER: Trewick SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2048757 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature