Transcriptional co-repressors and memory storage

Epigenetic modifications are a central mechanism for regulating chromatin structure and gene expression in the brain. A wide array of histone- and DNA-modifying enzymes have been identified as critical regulators of neuronal function, memory formation, and as causative agents in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Chromatin modifying enzymes are frequently incorporated into large multiprotein co-activator and co-repressor complexes, where the activity of multiple enzymes is both spatially and temporally coordinated. In this review, we discuss negative regulation of gene expression by corepressor complexes, and the role of co-repressors and their binding partners in neuronal function, memory, and disease. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.