cell.com· Colin E. Delaney, Lisa Fol, Stefan B. Gruenewald, Jia Emil You, Eugenio Ferrario, Martin M. Moeckel, Lukas Stelzl, Susan M. Gasser, Jan Padeken, Susan E. Mango·· 19 hours agoPickScore66
HP1 can act independently of H3K9 methylation to promote heterochromatin focus formation, gene repression, and organogenesis
In brief
Delaney et al. report that in C. elegans the HP1 homolog HPL-2 can form heterochromatin foci, silence genes, and restrict organogenesis independently of H3K9 methylation. HP1/HPL-2 and the H3K9 methyltransferase SETDB1/MET-2 form heterochromatin foci by binding distinct cofactors, and it is these foci, rather than H3K9me3, that track with silencing activity.
Why it matters
Demonstrates in C. elegans that HP1 forms heterochromatin foci and silences genes independently of H3K9 methylation, providing a new counterpoint to the classic heterochromatin model.
Source: cell.com · cell.com