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Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...

Euchromatin

Euchromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...

Heterochromatin

Heterochromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...

Heterochromatin

Heterochromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
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Spreading of Chromatin Modifications

Spreading of Chromatin Modifications

The histone proteins in the nucleosomes are post-translationally modified (PTM) to increase or decrease access to DNA. The commonly observed PTMs are methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination of lysine amino acids in the histone H3 tail region. These histone modifications have specific meaning for the cell. Hence, they are called "histone code". The protein complex involved in histone modification is termed as "reader-writer" complex.
Writers
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Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

Published on: September 20, 2018

Tissue-specific regulation of chromatin insulator function.

Leah H Matzat¹, Ryan K Dale, Nellie Moshkovich

¹Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.

|December 5, 2012

Summary

Researchers found a protein called Shep that acts as a negative regulator of chromatin insulator activity, specifically in the central nervous system (CNS). This discovery reveals a new way tissue-specific regulation of genome organization occurs.

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Area of Science:

Genetics
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Chromatin insulators are crucial for organizing the genome into functional domains.
Cell type-specific chromatin organization relies on insulator function, but regulatory factors remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify factors that regulate tissue-specific chromatin insulator function.
To investigate the role of the RNA recognition motif-containing protein Shep in gypsy insulator activity in Drosophila.

Main Methods:

Identified Shep as a direct interactor of gypsy insulator components.
Utilized a novel, quantitative tissue-specific barrier assay.
Performed ChIP-seq analysis to assess Shep genome-wide localization.

Main Results:

Mutation of shep enhances gypsy-dependent enhancer blocking, identifying Shep as a negative regulator.
Shep is highly expressed in the CNS, unlike ubiquitously expressed core insulator proteins.
Shep negatively regulates insulator activity in the CNS but not muscle, altering insulator complex nuclear localization in the CNS.

Conclusions:

Shep acts as a novel, tissue-specific negative regulator of chromatin insulator activity.
This regulation is specific to the central nervous system, impacting insulator function and localization.
The findings reveal a new mechanism for controlling genome organization in a tissue-specific manner.