Spatial segregation of heterochromatin: Uncovering functionality in a multicellular organism

Multiple layers of regulation are required to ensure appropriate patterns of gene expression for accurate cell differentiation. Interphase chromatin is non-randomly distributed within the nucleus, with highly compacted, transcriptionally silent heterochromatin enriched at the nuclear and nucleolar periphery. Whether this spatial organization serves a function in organismal physiology, rather than simply being a byproduct of chromatin metabolism, is a fundamental question. Recent work performed in C. elegans embryos characterized the molecular mechanisms that drive the perinuclear anchoring of heterochromatin. Moreover, for the first time it was shown that heterochromatin sequestration helps to restrict cell differentiation programs, while sustaining commitment to a specified fate. Here, we describe and comment on these findings, placing them in a broader context.