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Comment
. 2014 Jan 20;24(2):R80-R82.
doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.11.052.

X-inactivation: Xist RNA uses chromosome contacts to coat the X

Karen N Leung  1 , Barbara Panning  2
Affiliations
Comment

X-inactivation: Xist RNA uses chromosome contacts to coat the X

Karen N Leung et al. Curr Biol. .

Abstract

The mechanisms by which Xist RNA associates with the X chromosome to mediate alterations in chromatin structure remain mysterious. Recent genome-wide Xist RNA distribution studies suggest that this long noncoding RNA uses 3-dimensional chromosome contacts to move to its sites of action.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
X chromosome topology directs Xist localization. (A) Xist RNA (red) utilizes 3D contacts to localize to distal sites. (B) Model 1: the Xic samples the entire X over time and Xist RNA (red and blue at different time points) accumulation is determined by the affinity of Xist RNA for chromatin features at each region. (C) Model 2: Xist RNA (red) alters contact sites such that they have greater affinity for subsequently produced Xist RNA (blue), promoting its spread in cis along the X.
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