Work

Allele-specific and heritable chromatin signatures in humans

Year: 2010

Type: review

Abstract: Next-generation sequencing-based assays to detect gene regulatory elements are enabling the analysis of individual-to-individual and allele-specific variation of chromatin status and transcription factor binding in humans. Recently, a number of studies have explored this area, using lymphoblastoid cell lines. Around 10% of chromatin sites show either individual-level differences or allele-specific behavior. Future studies are likely to be limited by cell line accessibility, meaning that white-bloodcell-based studies are likely to continue to be the main source of samples. A detailed understanding of the relationship between normal genetic variation and chromatin variation can shed light on how polymorphisms in non-coding regions in the human genome might underlie phenotypic variation and disease.

Source: Human Molecular Genetics

DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddq404

Authors: E. Birney, J. D. Lieb, T. S. Furey, G. E. Crawford, V. R. Iyer