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First published online February 9, 2007

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Looping the loop with Hoxd

The relocalisation of gene loci outside chromosome territories and chromatin decondensation are generally regarded as linked facets of gene activation. Now, however, Wendy Bickmore and co-workers reveal that these processes can occur separately during activation of the Hoxd gene cluster (see p. 909). The researchers analysed the nuclear organisation of the mouse Hoxd cluster in differentiating embryonic stem (ES) cells and embryonic day 9.5 mouse embryos. The Hoxd cluster, they report, like the Hoxb cluster, looped out from its chromosome territory and unfolded after its activation in ES cells and in the embryonic tailbud. But, in the limb bud (another site of Hoxd activation), the chromatin unfolded without looping out. Furthermore, during ES cell differentiation, parts of the Hoxd cluster looped out before their chromatin visibly decondensed. Thus, although the chromosome remodelling mechanisms that underlie Hox gene activation predate the duplication of mammalian Hox loci, the exact mode of regulation of the Hoxd cluster depends on its developmental context.

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Related articles in Development:

Nuclear reorganisation and chromatin decondensation are conserved, but distinct, mechanisms linked to Hox gene activation

Céline Morey, Nelly R. Da Silva, Paul Perry, and Wendy A. Bickmore
Development 2007 134: 909-919. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?