Transgenerational epigenetic control of constitutive heterochromatin, transposons, and centromeres

Tatsuo Fukagawa; Tetsuji Kakutani

doi:10.1016/j.gde.2023.102021

Transgenerational epigenetic control of constitutive heterochromatin, transposons, and centromeres

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2023 Feb:78:102021. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102021. Epub 2023 Jan 28.

Authors

Tatsuo Fukagawa¹, Tetsuji Kakutani²

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/tatsuofukagawa1.
² Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: tkak@bs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.

PMID: 36716679
DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102021

Abstract

Epigenetic mechanisms are important not only for development but also for genome stability and chromosome dynamics. The latter types of epigenetic controls can often be transgenerational. Here, we review recent progress in two examples of transgenerational epigenetic control: i) the control of constitutive heterochromatin and transposable elements and ii) epigenetic mechanisms that regulate centromere specification and functions. We also discuss the biological significance of enigmatic associations among centromeres, transposons, and constitutive heterochromatin.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Centromere* / genetics
DNA Transposable Elements / genetics
Epigenesis, Genetic / genetics
Genomic Instability / genetics
Heterochromatin* / genetics
Humans

Substances

Heterochromatin
DNA Transposable Elements