Polycomb repressive complexes are a family of chromatin modifier enzymes which are critical for regulating gene expression and maintaining cell-type identity. The reversible chemical modifications of histone H3 and H2A by the Polycomb proteins are central to its ability to function as a gene silencer. PRC2 is both a reader and writer of the tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) which serves as a marker for transcription repression, and heterochromatin boundaries. Over the last few years, several studies have provided key insights into the mechanisms regulating the recruitment and activation of PRC2 at Polycomb target genes. In this review, we highlight the recent structural studies which have elucidated the roles played by Polycomb cofactor proteins in mediating crosstalk between histone post-translational modifications and the recruitment of PRC2 and the stimulation of PRC2 methyltransferase activity.
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December 2021
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Fuelled by the ‘resolution revolution’, cryo-EM has transformed our molecular understanding of transcriptional regulation in bacteria. As an example, Wood and colleagues (pp. 2695–2710) present the sialic acid gene repressor NanR (PDB-6WFG), where cryo-EM revealed the DNA-binding mode. “E. coli Bacteria” by NIAID is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cover artwork courtesy of Christopher Horne.
Review Article|
November 08 2021
Structural insights into the interactions of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 with chromatin
Akhil Gargey Iragavarapu
;
Akhil Gargey Iragavarapu
*
Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, U.S.A.
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Liqi Yao
;
Liqi Yao
*
Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, U.S.A.
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Vignesh Kasinath
Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Vignesh Kasinath (vignesh@colorado.edu)
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 05 2021
Revision Received:
September 21 2021
Accepted:
October 18 2021
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2021
Biochem Soc Trans (2021) 49 (6): 2639–2653.
Article history
Received:
August 05 2021
Revision Received:
September 21 2021
Accepted:
October 18 2021
Citation
Akhil Gargey Iragavarapu, Liqi Yao, Vignesh Kasinath; Structural insights into the interactions of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 with chromatin. Biochem Soc Trans 17 December 2021; 49 (6): 2639–2653. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20210450
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