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Related Concept Videos

Position-effect Variegation02:32

Position-effect Variegation

In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
Chromatin Position Affects Gene Expression02:35

Chromatin Position Affects Gene Expression

Chromatin is the massive complex of DNA and proteins packaged inside the nucleus. The complexity of chromatin folding and how it is packaged inside the nucleus greatly influences  access to genetic information. Generally, the nucleus' periphery is considered transcriptionally repressive, while the cell's interior is considered a transcriptionally active area. 
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Positioning the cell division plane is a critical step during development and cell differentiation, particularly during mitosis when the plane is essential for determining the size of the two daughter cells. The cell division plane is perpendicular to the plane of chromosome segregation, but different types of organisms have different cell division mechanisms to suit their morphology and function. 
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Biophysical Assays to Probe the Mechanical Properties of the Interphase Cell Nucleus: Substrate Strain Application and Microneedle Manipulation
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Telomere position effect in human cells.

J A Baur1, Y Zou, J W Shay

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9039, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 16, 2001
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Telomere position effect (TPE) silences genes near telomeres in human cells. This silencing is reversible and depends on telomere length, impacting gene expression over a cell's lifespan.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Telomere position effect (TPE) is a phenomenon observed in yeast where genes near telomeres undergo reversible silencing.
  • Understanding TPE in human cells is crucial for comprehending gene regulation and cellular aging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the presence and characteristics of TPE in human cells.
  • To investigate the mechanisms regulating TPE, including the role of histone deacetylase inhibitors and telomere length.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized HeLa cell clones with a luciferase reporter gene adjacent to a newly formed telomere.
  • Compared reporter gene expression in telomeric clones versus control clones with random integration.
  • Administered trichostatin A (a histone deacetylase inhibitor) and overexpressed human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT).

Main Results:

  • Human cell clones with telomeres adjacent to the reporter gene showed a 10-fold decrease in luciferase expression compared to controls.
  • Trichostatin A treatment restored luciferase expression in telomeric clones.
  • Overexpression of hTERT led to telomere elongation and a further 2- to 10-fold decrease in expression in telomeric clones.

Conclusions:

  • Telomere position effect (TPE) is present and functional in human cells.
  • TPE-mediated gene silencing is reversible and influenced by histone acetylation.
  • Telomere length is a key determinant of TPE, providing a mechanism for regulating gene expression throughout the replicative lifespan of human cells.