Transcriptional Silencing by Polycomb-Group Proteins

Abstract

Polycomb-group (PcG) genes encode chromatin proteins involved in stable and heritable transcriptional silencing. PcG proteins participate in distinct multimeric complexes that deposit, or bind to, specific histone modifications (e.g., H3K27me3 and H2AK119ub1) to prevent gene activation and maintain repressed chromatin domains. PcG proteins are evolutionary conserved and play a role in processes ranging from vernalization and seed development in plants, over X-chromosome inactivation in mammals, to the maintenance of stem cell identity. PcG silencing is medically relevant as it is often observed in human disorders, including cancer, and tissue regeneration, which involve the reprogramming of PcG-controlled target genes.