Common ground: small RNA programming and chromatin modifications

Erwan Lejeune; Robin C. Allshire

doi:10.1016/j.ceb.2011.03.005

Common ground: small RNA programming and chromatin modifications

Erwan Lejeune, Robin C. Allshire

School of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate genome structure and expression profiles in eukaryotes. RNA interference (RNAi) and other small RNA-based chromatin-modifying activities can act to reset the epigenetic landscape at defined chromatin domains. Centromeric heterochromatin assembly is a RNAi-dependent process in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and provides a paradigm for detailed examination of such epigenetic processes. Here we review recent progress in understanding the mechanisms that underpin RNAi-mediated heterochromatin formation in S. pombe. We discuss recent analyses of the events that trigger RNAi and manipulations which uncouple RNAi and chromatin modification. Finally we provide an overview of similar molecular machineries across species where related small RNA pathways appear to drive the epigenetic reprogramming in germ cells and/or during early development in metazoans.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	258-265
Number of pages	8
Journal	Current opinion in cell biology
Volume	23
Issue number	3
Early online date	7 Apr 2011
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2011.03.005
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2011

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title = "Common ground: small RNA programming and chromatin modifications",

abstract = "Epigenetic mechanisms regulate genome structure and expression profiles in eukaryotes. RNA interference (RNAi) and other small RNA-based chromatin-modifying activities can act to reset the epigenetic landscape at defined chromatin domains. Centromeric heterochromatin assembly is a RNAi-dependent process in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and provides a paradigm for detailed examination of such epigenetic processes. Here we review recent progress in understanding the mechanisms that underpin RNAi-mediated heterochromatin formation in S. pombe. We discuss recent analyses of the events that trigger RNAi and manipulations which uncouple RNAi and chromatin modification. Finally we provide an overview of similar molecular machineries across species where related small RNA pathways appear to drive the epigenetic reprogramming in germ cells and/or during early development in metazoans.",

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JO - Current opinion in cell biology

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Common ground: small RNA programming and chromatin modifications

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