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Review
. 2002 Feb 22;108(4):489-500.
doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(02)00644-x.

Epigenetic codes for heterochromatin formation and silencing: rounding up the usual suspects

Eric J Richards  1 , Sarah C R Elgin
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Epigenetic codes for heterochromatin formation and silencing: rounding up the usual suspects

Eric J Richards et al. Cell. .
Free article

Abstract

Recent results from diverse organisms point to a self-reinforcing network of interactions among the three best-characterized covalent modifications that mark heterochromatin: histone hypoacetylation, histone H3-Lys9 methylation, and cytosine methylation. These modification systems suggest a mechanistic basis for spreading of heterochromatin over large domains and for stable epigenetic inheritance of the silent state. All three modifications used in packaging heterochromatin are also used in stable silencing of euchromatic genes.

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Comment in

  • Uniting the paths to gene silencing.
    Pikaard CS, Lawrence RJ. Pikaard CS, et al. Nat Genet. 2002 Nov;32(3):340-1. doi: 10.1038/ng1008. Epub 2002 Oct 7. Nat Genet. 2002. PMID: 12368915 No abstract available.

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