Molecular clue for X chromosome mystery

摘要

Researchers have hegun to understand the molecular mechanism hchind the silencing of one of the X chromosome in female mammalian embryos.The team at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory(EMBL) in Heidelberg and Institut Curie in Paris have shown that the protein SPEN targets and silences active genes on the X chromosome,providing new insights into the molecular basis of X-inactivation.”We dissected SPENs role during X-chromosome inactivation using a wide array of classical and cutting-edge approaches,”said EMBL/Curie PhD student Francois Dossin.