histone modification

By Emily Cartwright, PhD

Histones are the main protein component of chromatin and are essential for the storage and compaction of the genome. DNA wraps around histone oligomers to make up nucleosomes, the individual subunits of chromatin. By altering the accessibility of the genome, chromatin structure is important for regulating various cellular processes including replication, transcription, and DNA repair. Typically chromatin structure is influenced by post-translational modification of histone proteins at lysine and arginine residues.

Epigenetic mechanisms allow distinction between the active and inactive compartments of the genome, allowing proper cell lineage and embryogenesis.

Epigenetic alterations have come to prominence in biomedical research. In particular, hypermethylation of CpG islands located in the promoter regions of tumor-suppressor genes is now firmly established as an important mechanism for gene inactivation in cancer.

Bone and dentin are closely related tissues, formed when a type I collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM) is secreted from the osteoblasts or odontoblasts and subsequently mineralized. This process is tightly regulated by type I collagen plus a number of non-collagenous proteins, including members of the SIBLING (Small Integrin-Binding LIgand, N-linked Glycoprotein) family.

We at Novus Biologicals are one of the leading antibody suppliers for cancer research. In a recent Notch antibody study, the Notch ligand Jagged 2 was found to promote the growth of metastatic lung cancer cells by inhibiting miR-200, which blocks epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) – an early stage in metastasis which, if blocked, can prevent secondary tumour growth.