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Anna Amtmann, Hong Ma, Doris Wagner, Chromatin and Epigenetics, Plant Physiology, Volume 168, Issue 4, August 2015, Pages 1185–1188, https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.15.01023
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Wrapping DNA around protein beads, to form so-called nucleosomes, is an ingenious invention of nature allowing the condensation of an enormous amount of genomic information into a tiny package. The assembly of DNA with histone proteins, the chromatin, increases genome stability, but it also hinders the access of enzymes needed to transcribe the encoded information. Bliss or burden, the chromatin provides an extra layer of control over gene expression. This control is exerted through a plethora of chemical modifications of the histones and the DNA, so-called epigenetic marks, which alter chromatin structure and provide specific recognition sites for regulatory factors. Evidence has grown exponentially over the past decade of the importance of chromatin-based processes for plant development, physiology, and adaptation to environmental stimuli, catapulting chromatin research to the forefront of plant science research. The increasing availability of affordable high-throughput sequencing services, antibodies for modified DNA or histone residues, and genome sequences have enabled laboratories worldwide to introduce chromatin-related questions into their research.
