Translating the histone code.

T Jenuwein; C D Allis

doi:10.1126/science.1063127

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PubMed · 11498575

Translating the histone code.

T Jenuwein·C D Allis

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Abstract

Chromatin, the physiological template of all eukaryotic genetic information, is subject to a diverse array of posttranslational modifications that largely impinge on histone amino termini, thereby regulating access to the underlying DNA. Distinct histone amino-terminal modifications can generate synergistic or antagonistic interaction affinities for chromatin-associated proteins, which in turn dictate dynamic transitions between transcriptionally active or transcriptionally silent chromatin states. The combinatorial nature of histone amino-terminal modifications thus reveals a "histone code" that considerably extends the information potential of the genetic code. We propose that this epigenetic marking system represents a fundamental regulatory mechanism that has an impact on most, if not all, chromatin-templated processes, with far-reaching consequences for cell fate decisions and both normal and pathological development.

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Acetylation Amino Acid Sequence Animals Chromatin Gene Expression Regulation Gene Silencing Genomic Imprinting Histones Methylation Molecular Sequence Data Phosphorylation Protein Structure, Tertiary Transcription, Genetic Transcriptional Activation Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.Review

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T Jenuwein, C D Allis. 2001-08-10. Translating the histone code.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1063127

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