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Related Concept Videos

Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

Histone Variants at the Centromere

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Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3...
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Histone Modification02:32

Histone Modification

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Histone Modification02:32

Histone Modification

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The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone...
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Spreading of Chromatin Modifications02:25

Spreading of Chromatin Modifications

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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
The writer...
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The Nucleosome Core Particle01:12

The Nucleosome Core Particle

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Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...
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The Nucleosome Core Particle02:10

The Nucleosome Core Particle

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Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
The paradox
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Author Spotlight: Epigenetic Modifications and Metabolic Rewiring as Targets for Cancer Therapy
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Solid tumours hijack the histone variant network.

Flávia G Ghiraldini1, Dan Filipescu1, Emily Bernstein2

  • 1Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

Nature Reviews. Cancer
|February 11, 2021
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Histone variants and their chaperones play critical roles in cancer development. These proteins can either promote or suppress tumor growth, impacting cellular homeostasis and disease progression.

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Global Level Quantification of Histone Post-Translational Modifications in a 3D Cell Culture Model of Hepatic Tissue
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An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues
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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Cancer involves disrupted cellular homeostasis due to genetic and epigenetic changes.
  • Histone variants and their chaperones are increasingly recognized for their roles in cancer initiation and progression.
  • These proteins influence crucial cellular processes like genome integrity, nuclear architecture, and cell identity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the dual role of histone variants and chaperones in cancer pathogenesis.
  • To highlight how cancer cells subvert normal cellular functions involving histone variants.
  • To discuss their impact on solid tumors and overall cancer development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on histone variants and chaperones in cancer.
  • Analysis of the molecular mechanisms by which histone variants affect cellular processes.
  • Discussion of their roles as tumor-promoting or tumor-suppressive factors.

Main Results:

  • Histone variants and their chaperones are integral to regulating transcription, DNA repair, and chromosome segregation.
  • Cancer cells hijack these proteins to disrupt cellular homeostasis and promote proliferation.
  • These proteins function as either tumor promoters or suppressors in various cancer types, especially solid tumors.

Conclusions:

  • Histone variants and their chaperones are key players in cancer pathogenesis, acting as either tumor promoters or suppressors.
  • Understanding their complex roles is crucial for developing novel cancer therapies.
  • Targeting these proteins may offer new strategies for cancer treatment.