Work

Position effect variegation and chromatin proteins

Year: 1992

Type: review

Abstract: Variegated phenotypes often result from chromosomal rearrangements that place euchromatic genes next to heterochromatin. In such rearrangements, the condensed structure of heterochromatin can spread into euchromatic regions, which then assume the morphology of heterochromatin and become transcriptionally inactive. In position-effect variegation (PEV) therefore, gene inactivation results from a change in chromatin structure. PEV has been intensively investigated in the fruitfly Drosophila, where the phenomenon allows a genetic dissection of chromatin components. Consequently, many genes have been identified which, when mutated, act as dominant modifiers (suppressors or enhancers) of PEV. Data available already demonstrate that genetic, molecular and developmental analysis of these genes provides an avenue to the identification of regulatory and structural chromatin components, and hence to fundamental aspects of chromosome structure and function.

Source: BioEssays

DOI: 10.1002/bies.950140907

Authors: Gunter Reute, Pierre Spierer

Institutions: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, University of Geneva

Language: English

Topic: Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

OpenAlex ID: W2035169037

FWCI: 1.91

Cites: 54

Cited by: 307

Related to: 10