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Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression definitions

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  • Epigenetic Regulation
    Control of gene activity through reversible chromatin modifications, independent of DNA sequence changes.
  • Histone Methylation
    Addition of methyl groups to histone proteins, often leading to chromatin condensation and gene silencing.
  • Histone Acetylation
    Attachment of acetyl groups to histones, resulting in relaxed chromatin and increased gene transcription.
  • CpG Islands
    DNA regions rich in cytosine and guanine, typically unmethylated in promoters to enable gene expression.
  • Chromatin Structure
    Physical arrangement of DNA and histones, determining accessibility for transcription machinery.
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
    Enzymes that add acetyl groups to histones, promoting open chromatin and active transcription.
  • Histone Deacetylases
    Enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histones, leading to chromatin condensation and gene repression.
  • Chromatin Remodeling Factors
    Proteins that reposition nucleosomes, altering DNA accessibility without changing histone modifications.
  • Elongation Factors
    Proteins associated with RNA polymerase that modify nucleosomes during transcription, influencing gene output.
  • Transcriptional Synergy
    Enhanced transcription rate achieved when multiple activators cooperate, exceeding their individual effects.
  • Epigenetic Heredity
    Transmission of chromatin modification patterns, not DNA sequence, from cell to cell or across generations.
  • Cell Memory
    Retention of gene expression patterns in differentiated cells, ensuring tissue-specific function in progeny.
  • Genomic Imprinting
    Epigenetic phenomenon where only one parental allele is expressed, determined by chromatin modifications.
  • X Inactivation
    Random silencing of one X chromosome in females, ensuring dosage compensation and creating mosaic phenotypes.
  • Mosaic Phenotype
    Physical trait variation within an organism due to random epigenetic inactivation of different alleles in cells.