Chromatin Signaling and Diseases

Chromatin Signaling and Diseases, Second Edition, a volume in the Translational Epigenetics series, covers the molecular mechanisms that regulate gene expression, which governs embryonic development, growth, and human pathologies associated with aging, such as cancer. Although human genome sequencing continues to improve, molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression remain largely misunderstood. The impact of gene expression defects associated with malfunctioning chromatin signaling are considered in this update. In addition, this new edition has addresses developments in the field, from phase separation of membrane-less organelles and local segregation of factors to chromatinization of naked foreign DNA and cancer evolution as regulated by chromatin signaling.

Chromatin signaling proposes that small protein domains recognize chemical modifications on the genome scaffolding histone proteins, facilitating the nucleation of enzymatic complexes at specific loci that then open up or shut down the access to genetic information, thereby regulating gene expression. The addition and removal of chemical modifications on histones, as well as the proteins that specifically recognize these are also considered.