Correlation between histone lysine methylation and developmental changes at the chicken β-globin locus

M. D. Litt, M. Simpson, M. Gaszner, C. D. Allis, G. Felsenfeld

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

528 Scopus citations

Abstract

Methylation of histones at specific residues plays an important role in transcriptional regulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of dimethylated lysine 9 on histone H3 across 53 kilobases of the chicken β-globin locus during erythropoiesis shows an almost complete anticorrelation between regions of elevated lysine 9 methylation and acetylation. Lysine 9 is methylated most over constitutive condensed chromatin and developmentally inactive globin genes. In contrast, lysine 4 methylation of histone H3 correlates with H3 acetylation. These results lead us to propose a mechanism by which the insulator in the β-globin locus can protect the globin genes from being silenced by adjacent condensed chromatin.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2453-2455
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume293
Issue number5539
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 28 2001
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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