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DNA & Genetic Damage164 citations

Lerchl A, Klose M, Drees K

No Effects Found

Authors not listed · 2020

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Chromosome organization directly controls gene expression through competing protein systems that could be disrupted by external influences.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Scientists studied how proteins called cohesin and polycomb organize chromosomes in embryonic stem cells. They found that cohesin disrupts certain chromosome interactions created by polycomb proteins, which affects gene expression. This reveals a previously unknown mechanism for how cells control which genes are turned on or off.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2020). Lerchl A, Klose M, Drees K.
Show BibTeX
@article{lerchl_a_klose_m_drees_k_ce2898,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Lerchl A, Klose M, Drees K},
  year = {2020},
  doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.057},
  
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.057PubMed: 31968256

Quick Questions About This Study

Cohesin creates topologically associating domains (TADs) that help organize chromosomes and regulate gene expression. It also counteracts polycomb-dependent chromosome interactions, modulating which genes get turned on or off in embryonic stem cells.
Polycomb proteins, specifically PRC1, create long-range chromosomal interactions that persist even when cohesin is absent. These interactions help repress certain genes and are part of the cell's gene regulation system.
Without cohesin, cells lose their normal chromosome organization and TAD structure. However, polycomb-dependent interactions become more prominent, revealing a previously hidden layer of chromosome organization that affects gene expression patterns.
No, the study found that cohesin's ability to disrupt polycomb-dependent chromosome interactions is independent of CTCF and insulation mechanisms. This suggests cohesin has multiple ways of influencing chromosome organization beyond its known functions.
Chromosome organization determines which genes can interact with regulatory elements and whether they get turned on or off. The competing activities of cohesin and polycomb systems create a balance that's essential for proper cellular function.