Université Paris Diderot; Sorbonne Paris Cité; Epigenetics and Cell Fate; UMR 7216 CNRS; Paris, France.
Epigenetics. 2013 Oct;8(10):1008-12. doi: 10.4161/epi.25909. Epub 2013 Aug 5.
Chromatin structure is regulated by families of proteins that are able to covalently modify the histones and the DNA, as well as to regulate the spacing of nucleosomes along the DNA. Over the years, these chromatin remodeling factors have been proven to be essential to a variety of processes, including gene expression, DNA replication, and chromosome cohesion. The function of these remodeling factors is regulated by a number of chemical and developmental signals and, in turn, changes in the chromatin structure eventually contribute to the response to changes in the cellular environment. Exciting new research findings by the laboratories of Sharon Dent and Steve Jackson indicate, in two different contexts, that changes in the chromatin structure may, in reverse, signal to intracellular signaling pathways to regulate cell fate. The discoveries clearly challenge our traditional view of 'epigenetics', and may have important implications in human health.
染色质结构受能够共价修饰组蛋白和 DNA 的蛋白家族调控，也受调控核小体沿 DNA 间隔的蛋白家族调控。多年来，这些染色质重塑因子已被证明对多种过程至关重要，包括基因表达、DNA 复制和染色体凝聚。这些重塑因子的功能受到许多化学和发育信号的调节，而染色质结构的变化最终有助于对细胞环境变化的响应。Sharon Dent 和 Steve Jackson 实验室的令人兴奋的新研究发现，在两种不同的情况下，染色质结构的变化可能反过来向细胞内信号通路发出信号，以调节细胞命运。这些发现显然挑战了我们对“表观遗传学”的传统看法，并可能对人类健康具有重要意义。
