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The Epigenetic Regulatory Machinery

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Book cover Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Normal and Aberrant Blood Cell Development

Part of the book series: Epigenetics and Human Health ((EHH))

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Abstract

The processes of eukaryotic development and cellular differentiation are under transcriptional and epigenetic control by essentially the same mechanisms in all multi-cellular organisms. Here we briefly summarise the general principles of chromatin structure and gene regulation. Because the bulk of the chromatin in the nucleus exists in a highly condensed state, the main level at which gene expression is controlled is at the level of the accessibility of genes and their regulatory elements to the transcription apparatus. In this article we will describe the complex machinery that covalently modifies the DNA and histones, remodels chromatin structure and allows transcription factors to find their targets within regulatory elements. We will establish the concept that epigenetic and transcriptional regulation involves a finely tuned balance between activators and repressors, which function via a huge variety of mechanisms to either introduce or erase modifications to the basic chromatin template.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Cancer Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Constanze Bonifer

  2. School of Immunity and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Peter N. Cockerill

Authors
  1. Constanze Bonifer
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  2. Peter N. Cockerill
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Constanze Bonifer or Peter N. Cockerill .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham Medical and Dental Sciences, Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Constanze Bonifer

  2. Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham Medical and Dental Sciences, Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Peter N. Cockerill

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Bonifer, C., Cockerill, P.N. (2014). The Epigenetic Regulatory Machinery. In: Bonifer, C., Cockerill, P. (eds) Transcriptional and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Normal and Aberrant Blood Cell Development. Epigenetics and Human Health. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45198-0_1

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