Chromatin Compaction by a Polycomb Group Protein Complex

Polycomb group proteins preserve body patterning through development by maintaining transcriptional silencing of homeotic genes. A long-standing hypothesis is that silencing involves creating chromatin structure that is repressive to gene transcription. We demonstrate by electron microscopy that cor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2004-11, Vol.306 (5701), p.1574-1577
Main Authors: Francis, Nicole J., Kingston, Robert E., Woodcock, Christopher L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Average linear density
Biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Chromatin
Chromatin - chemistry
Chromatin - metabolism
Chromatin - ultrastructure
Chromatin. Chromosome
DNA
DNA - chemistry
DNA - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression Regulation
Gene Silencing
Genes
Genetic aspects
HeLa Cells
Histones
Histones - chemistry
Histones - metabolism
Humans
Individualized Instruction
Inhibition
Microscopy
Microscopy, Electron
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Molecular and cellular biology
Molecular genetics
Nucleosomes
Nucleosomes - chemistry
Nucleosomes - metabolism
Nucleosomes - ultrastructure
Numbers
Polycomb-Group Proteins
Protein Conformation
Proteins
Renovations
Repressor Proteins - chemistry
Repressor Proteins - metabolism
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Summary:Polycomb group proteins preserve body patterning through development by maintaining transcriptional silencing of homeotic genes. A long-standing hypothesis is that silencing involves creating chromatin structure that is repressive to gene transcription. We demonstrate by electron microscopy that core components of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 induce compaction of defined nucleosomal arrays. Compaction by Polycomb proteins requires nucleosomes but not histone tails. Each Polycomb complex can compact about three nucleosomes. A region of Posterior Sex Combs that is important for gene silencing in vivo is also important for chromatin compaction, linking the two activities. This mechanism of chromatin compaction might be central to stable gene silencing by the Polycomb group.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1100576