Abstract
Heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a) is well known as a silencing protein and regulates gene expression through its binding to methylated histone H3K9. Despite sharing a nearly identical domain architecture, most eukaryotes have at least three HP1 homologs that have differential localization patterns and functions in heterochromatin and euchromatin. Among the three main HP1 paralogs in Drosophila, HP1c functions the least like the canonical heterochromatic HP1, HP1a. HP1c exclusively localizes to euchromatin. In contrast to a key role of HP1a in heterochromatin formation and gene silencing, recent studies link transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II to euchromatic HP1c or HP1γ. These findings expand the role for HP1c in targeting euchromatin, suggesting that HP1c acts as a positive regulator in active transcription in euchromatin. Here, we highlight recent data on the specificity and function of HP1c.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 625-630 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cell Cycle |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 Feb 15 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:important for protein-protein interaction, we predict that PTMs We wish to thank Workman lab members for stimulating discus-of HP1 will act to regulate protein function in a manner simi-sions. We are particularly grateful to Jamie Dyer, Ryan Mohan lar to that proposed in the histone code hypothesis.41,42 Thus, and Vikki Weake for critical reading of the manuscript. This work it will be important to elucidate the mechanisms underlying was supported by the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology