Histone Modifications and Transcriptional Activation

By Annapurna http://lifesciencesaga.weebly.com http://purnasrinivas.webs.com

29th July 2011

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Histone modifications

These modifications make a region of gene either transcriptionally active or inactive.

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Acetylation

Addition of acetyl groups (CH3CO-) to lysines. Acetylation DNA is stopped from getting further condensed Active transcription of the genes takes place

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Phosphorylation

Addition of phosphate groups to serines and threonines. Serine 10 of Histone H3 gets specifically phosphorylated during mitosis and meiosis

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Methylation

Addition of methyl groups to lysines and arginines. This either stimulates or inhibits gene transcription at that region.
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Methylation

Methylation of histone H4 on R4 (arginine residue at the 4th position) opens the chromatin structure leading to transcriptional activation Methylation of histone H3 on K4 and K79 (lysines residues at the 4th and 79th position) opens the chromatin structure leading to transcriptional activation Methylation of histone H3 on K9 and K27 (lysines residues at the 9th and 27th position) condenses the chromatin structure leading to transcriptional inactivation

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Ubiquitination

Ubiquitin (Ub) is a 76-amino acid protein that is ubiquitously distributed and highly conserved throughout eukaryotic organisms. Ubiquitination of H2A Transcriptional inactivation Ubiquitination of H2B Transcriptional activation
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