Synopses & Reviews
Epigenetic modifications act on DNA and its packaging proteins, the histones, to regulate genome function. Manifest as the heritable methylation of DNA and as post-translational histone modifications, these molecular flags influence the architecture and integrity of the chromosome, the accessibility of DNA to gene regulatory components and the ability of chromatin to interact within nuclear complexes. While a multicellular individual has only one genome, it has multiple epigenomes reflecting the diversity of cell types and their properties at different times of life; in health and in disease. Relationships are emerging between the underlying DNA sequence and dynamic epigenetic states and their consequences,such as the role of RNA interference and non-coding RNA. These integrated approaches go hand-in-hand with studies describing the genomic locations of epigenetic modifications in different cell types at different times. The excitement and curiosity surrounding epigenomics is driven by a growing community of researchers in a burgeoning field and the development of new technologies built on the backbone of genome sequencing projects. Research has shown that the adaptability and vulnerability of epigenetic states has profound effects on natural variation, the response of the genome to its environment and on health and disease. The aim of this volume is not to describe epigenomes, but rather to explore how understanding epigenomes tells us more about how biological systems work and the challenges and approaches taken to accomplish this. These contributions have attempted to integrate epigenomics into our understanding of genomes in wider context, and to communicate some of the wonders of epigenetics illustrated through examples across the biological spectrum.
Synopsis
Epigenomics is about what happens to the DNA sequence when it is packaged into chromatin to make a chromosome. This chromatin organisation is influenced by modifications to DNA and to chromatin proteins that are necessary for chromosome architecture and integrity, and for regulating gene activity and repression. Understanding this critical aspect of functional genomics will contribute to a wide-range of biology, from stem cell development and aging to cancer and evolutionary change. Most recently, high impact publications reporting a range of high-throughput epigenomic studies have complemented well-established studies on the epigenetic control of genome function in model organisms and model systems. This has resulted in a growing community of researchers in a burgeoning field, and a major curiosity about epigenomics in the wider scientific community.
Our goal as editors is to create a volume that is attractive to the academic and research communities and that can facilitate the direction of research programmes, influence the scientific strategy of funding organisations, educate post-graduate scientists and emphasise the importance of this aspect of functional genomics to the biomedical and basic science community as a whole. Contributions will be solicited from leaders in the epigenomics field encompassing the key areas of current epigenomics research and with one or two additional insights concerning where the field is anticipated to go within the next few years. The key areas in epigenomics for which we can expect chapters are noted below.
Synopsis
Epigenomics, an exciting and rapidly burgeoning new field, tells us how the genome works. But rather than merely describe epigenomes, this text focuses on exploring how understanding epigenomes tells us more about how biological systems work.
Table of Contents
Preface/Introduction: Introduction to epigenomics, AC Ferguson-Smith, JM Greally, RA Martienssen; Section I - Epigenomic technologies and analytical approaches 1. Strategies for epigenome analysis, AB Brinkman and HG Stunnenberg 2. Sequencing the epigenome, A Meissner and BE Bernstein 3. Integrating epigenomic Results, S-Y Yoo and RW Doerge 4. Visualising the epigenome, P Flicek and E Birney Section II - Roles of DNA, RNA and chromatin in epigenomics 5. The expanding view of cytosine methylation, JM Greally 6. Structural and biochemical advances in mammalian DNA methylation, X Cheng and R Blumenthal 7. Epigenetic profiling of histone variants, S Henikoff 8. Epigenetic phenomena and epigenomics in maize, J Hollick and N Springer 9. Epigenetic silencing of pericentric heterochromatin by RNA interference in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, S Locke and RA Martienssen 10. Describing epigenomic information in Arabidopsis, I. Henderson 11. The role of small RNAs in establishing chromatin architecture in Drosophila, J Birchler 12. MacroRNAs in the epigenetic control of X inactivation, S Shibata and JT. Lee Section III - Epigenetic control of developmental processes 13. Polycomb complexes and the role of epigenetic memory in development, Y Schwartz and V Pirrotta 14. Genomic imprinting - a model for roles of histone modifications in epigenetic control, K McEwan and AC Ferguson-Smith 15. The epigenomic landscape of reprogramming in mammals, G Ficz, C Farthing and W Reik 16. Epigenetic regulation - lessons from globin loci, A Dean and S Fiering 17. Meiotic silencing, infertility and X chromosome evolution, J. Turner Section IV - The epigenome in health and disease 18. Genome defence - the Neurospora paradigm, M Rountree and E Selker 19. Integrating the genome and epigenome in human disease, C Widelius 20. A changing epigenome in health and disease, E. Ballestar and M Esteller 21. Cancer epigenomics, C. Ladd-Acosta and A Feinberg 22. Epigenetic modulation by environmental factors, M Doyle and R Amasino 23. The relevance of epigenetics to major psychosis, J Mill and A Petronis Index