Epigenetics of long-range chromatin interactions

DNA segments that are separated from the promoter region of a gene by many thousands of bases may nonetheless regulate the transcriptional activity of that gene. This finding has led to the investigation of mechanisms underlying long-range chromatin interactions. In intermitotic cells, chromosomes decondense, filling the nucleus with distinct chromosome territories that interdigitate and intercalate with neighboring and even more distant chromosome territories. Both intrachromosomal and interchromosomal long-range associations have been demonstrated, and DNA binding proteins have been implicated in the maintenance of these interactions. A single gene may have interactions with many distant DNA segments. Genes that are monoallelically expressed, such as imprinted genes and odorant receptors, are frequently found to be regulated by these long-range interactions. These findings emphasize the importance of studying the geography and architecture of the nucleus as an important factor in the regulation of gene transcription.