Generalized nucleation and looping model for epigenetic memory of histone modifications.

ABSTRACT: Histone modifications can redistribute along the genome in a sequence-independent manner, giving rise to chromatin position effects and epigenetic memory. The underlying mechanisms shape the endogenous chromatin landscape and determine its response to ectopically targeted histone modifiers. Here, we simulate linear and looping-driven spreading of histone modifications and compare both models to recent experiments on histone methylation in fission yeast. We find that a generalized nucleation-and-looping mechanism describes key observations on engineered and endogenous methylation domains including intrinsic spatial confinement, independent regulation of domain size and memory, variegation in the absence of antagonists, and coexistence of short- and long-term memory at loci with weak and str

SUBMITTER: Erdel F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4961120 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature