Metabolic choreography of gene expression: nutrient transactions with the epigenome

Eukaryotic complexity and thus their ability to respond to diverse cues are largely driven by varying expression of gene products, qualitatively and quantitatively. Protein adducts in the form of post-translational modifications, most of which are derived from metabolic intermediates, allow fine tuning of gene expression at multiple levels. With the advent of high-throughput and high-resolution mapping technologies there has been an explosion in terms of the kind of modifications on chromatin and other factors that govern gene expression. Moreover, even the classical notion of acetylation and methylation dependent regulation of transcription is now known to be intrinsically coupled to biochemical pathways, which were otherwise regarded as 'mundane'. Here we have not only reviewed some of the recent literature but also have highlighted the dependence of gene regulatory mechanisms on metabolic inputs, both direct and indirect. We have also tried to bring forth some of the open questions, and how our understanding of gene expression has changed dramatically over the last few years, which has largely become metabolism centric. Finally, metabolic regulation of epigenome and gene expression has gained much traction due to the increased incidence of lifestyle and age-related diseases.