Histone acetylation

[blazerUAB]

How does histone acetylation effect transcriptional processes. What are methyl CpG binding proteins?

[sdekivit]

histonproteins are involved in DNA packaging in the nucleus. When histons are not acetylated, they can bind to DNA, since they have positive charges, which binds the negative DNA backbone.

When the positive charge of the histonproteins are removed due to acetylation, DNA is less packaged so DNA will loop out. This reveals DNA-bindingssites for example for transcription factor which enhance or suppress DNA-transcription.

Methyl CpG binding proteins:

CpG is a short DNA sequence, namely CG (the p = fosfodiester) --. therefore methyl CpG is a CG-sequence which is methylated.

--> this is a binding site for methyl CpG binding proteins

[blazerUAB]

Thank you very much appreciated