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Updated: May 23, 2026
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Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers
Published on: September 20, 2018
The context of gene expression regulation
1Program in Systems Biology; Program in Gene Function and Expression University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
F1000 Biology Reports
|April 14, 2012
Summary
Non-protein coding RNAs, alongside DNA and proteins, create a regulatory hierarchy. This system controls chromatin folding and gene expression, enabling cell-specific transcription.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Recent sequencing technologies reveal numerous non-protein coding RNAs (ncRNAs).
- ncRNAs are crucial regulators of gene expression, acting alongside proteins and epigenetic modifications.
- These elements contribute to the complex control of transcription.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a structural and functional hierarchy for gene regulation.
- To elucidate the roles of DNA, proteins, and ncRNAs in chromatin folding and transcriptional control.
Main Methods:
- This is a perspective piece, synthesizing existing knowledge.
- It focuses on conceptualizing a hierarchical model of gene regulation.
Main Results:
- A hierarchical model is proposed where DNA, proteins, and ncRNAs interact.
- These interactions modulate chromatin's three-dimensional structure.
- This modulation establishes context for cell-specific transcription.
Conclusions:
- ncRNAs are integral components of a regulatory hierarchy controlling gene expression.
- The interplay between DNA, proteins, and ncRNAs dictates chromatin organization and cell-specific transcription.
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