Elucidation of coordination between HP1 and polycomb complex for function of heterochromatin

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24370071
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: OBUSE Chikashi 北海道大学, 先端生命科学研究科(研究院), 教授 (00273855)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ヘテロクロマチン / HP1 / ポリコーム複合体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Combining robust and flexible feature of heterochromatin is one of most important characteristics of "Epigenetics". To give the both features to heterochromatin, the relationships between constitutive heterochromatin based on H3K9me3-HP1 (heterochromatin protein 1) and facultative heterochromatin based on H3K27me3-PRC2 (polycomb repressive complex 2) will be responsible for the mechanism. This study revealed that HP1 associates with PRC2 through a histone H3K9 methyltransferase. These molecular links will contribute to understand the mechanism for robustness and flexibility of heterochromatin.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学