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First published online December 21, 2005

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Edgy silence in the nucleus

During development, complex alterations in gene expression, probably directed by epigenetic changes that affect the organization of the genome, convert pluripotent cells into cells that are committed to specific lineages. Ruth Williams and co-workers are studying the epigenetic regulation of Mash1, which encodes a transcription factor that commits cells to neural fates. On p. 132, the authors report that neural fate induction in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells promotes large-scale reorganization of the Mash1 locus. In ES cells, Mash1 is transcriptionally repressed, and the Mash1 locus, which is positioned near the nuclear periphery, replicates late in S phase. The authors show that upon induction of neural fate (but not other cell fates) Mash1 transcription is upregulated. In addition, the locus moves towards the interior of the nucleus and replicates in early S phase. This reorganization, although it affects neighbouring genes, seems to initiate at the Mash1 gene. Two other developmentally regulated gene loci behave like the Mash1 locus; so the authors suggest that the nuclear periphery may help to maintain the undifferentiated state of ES cells.

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Related articles in JCS:

Neural induction promotes large-scale chromatin reorganisation of the Mash1 locus

Ruth R. E. Williams, Véronique Azuara, Pascale Perry, Stephan Sauer, Maria Dvorkina, Helle Jørgensen, Jeffery Roix, Philip McQueen, Tom Misteli, Matthias Merkenschlager, and Amanda G. Fisher
JCS 2006 119: 132-140. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JCS Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?