Epigenetics

The regulation of gene expression in many biological processes involves epigenetic mechanisms. In this new volume, 24 chapters written by experts in the field discuss epigenetic effects from many perspectives. There are chapters on the basic molecular mechanisms underpinning epigenetic regulation, discussion of cellular processes that rely on this kind of regulation, and surveys of organisms in which it has been most studied. Thus, there are chapters on histone and DNA methylation, siRNAs and gene silencing; X-chromosome inactivation, dosage compensation and imprinting; and discussion of epigenetics in microbes, plants, insects, and mammals. The last part of the book looks at how epigenetic mechanisms act in cell division and differentiation, and how errors in these pathways contribute to cancer and other human diseases. Also discussed are consequences of epigenetics in attempts to clone animals.

Epigenetics: from phenomenon to field / Daniel E. Gottschling -- A brief history of epigenetics / Gary Felsenfeld -- Overview and concepts / C. David Ellis, Thomas Jenuwein, and Danny Reinberg -- Epigenetics in Saccharomyces cerevisiae -- Position-effect variegation, heterochromatin formation, and gene silencing in drosophilia / Sarah C.R. Elgin and Gunter Reuter -- Fungal models for epigenetic research: schizosaccharomyces pombe and neurospora crassa / Robin C. Allshire and Eric U. Selker -- Epigenetics of ciliates / Eric Meyer and Douglas L. Chalker -- RNAi and heterochromatin assembly / Robert Martienssen and Danesh Moazed -- Epigenetic regulation in plants / Majori Matzke and Ortun Mittlesten Scheid -- Chromatin modifications and their mechanism of action / Tony Kouzarides and Shelley L. Berger -- Transcriptional silencing by polycomb group proteins / Ueli Grossniklaus and Renato Para -- Transcriptional regulation by trithorax group proteins / Robert E. Kingston and John W. Tamkun -- Histone variants and epigenetics / Steven Henifoff and M. Mitchell Smith -- Epigenetic regulation of chromosome inheritance / Gary H. Karpen and R. Scott Hawley -- Epigenetic regulation of the X c…