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Cancer Biology and the Nuclear Envelope pp 263–279Cite as

The Non-random Repositioning of Whole Chromosomes and Individual Gene Loci in Interphase Nuclei and Its Relevance in Disease, Infection, Aging, and Cancer

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 773))

Abstract

The genomes of a wide range of different organisms are non-randomly organized within interphase nuclei. Chromosomes and genes can be moved rapidly, with direction, to new non-random locations within nuclei upon a stimulus such as a signal to initiate differentiation, quiescence or senescence, or also the application of heat or an infection with a pathogen. It is now becoming increasingly obvious that chromosome and gene position can be altered in diseases such as cancer and other syndromes that are affected by changes to nuclear architecture such as the laminopathies. This repositioning seems to affect gene expression in these cells and may play a role in progression of the disease. We have some evidence in breast cancer cells and in the premature aging disease Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria that an aberrant nuclear envelope may lead to genome repositioning and correction of these nuclear envelope defects can restore proper gene positioning and expression in both disease situations.

Although spatial positioning of the genome probably does not entirely control expression of genes, it appears that spatio-epigenetics may enhance the control over gene expression globally and/or is deeply involved in regulating specific sets of genes. A deviation from normal spatial positioning of the genome for a particular cell type could lead to changes that affect the future health of the cell or even an individual.

The online version of the original chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-8032-8_28

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-8032-8_28

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Abbreviations

2D:

Two-dimensional

3D:

Three-dimensional

CML:

Chronic myeloid leukemia

FISH:

Fluorescence in situ hybridization

GFP:

Green fluorescent protein

HGPS:

Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome

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Acknowledgements

The unpublished work referred to in this chapter complied by the Bridger group has been funded by NIH, EU-FP6, Brunel University Progeria Research Fund, The Gordon Memorial Foundation, Wellcome Trust, WestFocus, and The Malacological Society of London. The authors would like to thank colleagues at Brunel—Dr Christopher Eskiw, Dr Margaret Town, Dr Sabrina Tosi, Dr Emmanouil Karteris for collaboration, collegiality, and encouragement.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Nuclear and Genomic Health, Centre for Cell and Chromosome Biology, Biosciences, Brunel University, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Joanna M. Bridger, Halime D. Arican-Gotkas & Mai Hassan Ahmed

  2. Biosciences, Brunel University, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Helen A. Foster & Ian R. Kill

  3. Molecular Cell Biology Group, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, Jenner Wing (box J2A), St. George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK

    Lauren S. Godwin

  4. Brunel Institute for Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, Biosciences, Brunel University, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Amanda Harvey

  5. Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Ross Hall, 448, 2300 I (Eye) Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA

    Matty Knight

  6. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai, 400005, India

    Ishita S. Mehta

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  1. Joanna M. Bridger
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  2. Halime D. Arican-Gotkas
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  3. Helen A. Foster
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  9. Mai Hassan Ahmed
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Correspondence to Joanna M. Bridger .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Edinburgh Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Eric C. Schirmer

  2. University of Edinburgh Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Jose I. de las Heras

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Bridger, J.M. et al. (2014). The Non-random Repositioning of Whole Chromosomes and Individual Gene Loci in Interphase Nuclei and Its Relevance in Disease, Infection, Aging, and Cancer. In: Schirmer, E., de las Heras, J. (eds) Cancer Biology and the Nuclear Envelope. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 773. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-8032-8_12

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