RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Causes and consequences of nuclear gene positioning
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 118711
DO 10.1101/118711
A1 Sigal Shachar
A1 Tom Misteli
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/03/20/118711.abstract
AB The eukaryotic genome is organized in a manner that allows folding of the genetic material in the confined space of the cell nucleus, while at the same time enabling its physiological function. A major principle of spatial genome organization is the non-random position of genomic loci relative to other loci and to nuclear bodies. The mechanisms that determine the spatial position of a locus, and how position affects function, are just beginning to be characterized. Initial results suggest multiple, gene-specific mechanisms and the involvement of a wide range of cellular machineries. In this Commentary, we review recent findings from candidate approaches and unbiased screening methods that provide initial insight into the cellular mechanisms of positioning and their functional consequences. We highlight several specific mechanisms including tethering to the nuclear periphery, passage through replication and histone modifications that contribute to gene positioning in yeast, plants and mammals.