Work

Chromatin remodeling by ATP‐dependent molecular machines

Year: 2003

Type: review

Abstract: The eukaryotic genome is packaged into a periodic nucleoprotein structure termed chromatin. The repeating unit of chromatin, the nucleosome, consists of DNA that is wound nearly two times around an octamer of histone proteins. To facilitate DNA-directed processes in chromatin, it is often necessary to rearrange or to mobilize the nucleosomes. This remodeling of the nucleosomes is achieved by the action of chromatin-remodeling complexes, which are a family of ATP-dependent molecular machines. Chromatin-remodeling factors share a related ATPase subunit and participate in transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, homologous recombination and chromatin assembly. In this review, we provide an overview of chromatin-remodeling enzymes and discuss two possible mechanisms by which these factors might act to reorganize nucleosome structure.

Source: BioEssays

DOI: 10.1002/bies.10359

Authors: Alexandra Lusser, James T. Kadonaga

Institution: University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Volkswagen Foundation, Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: Chromatin Dynamics and Gene Expression, CHROMATIN STRUCTURE AND GENE ACTIVITY