Heterochromatin Networks: Topology, Dynamics, and Function (a Working Hypothesis)

Open systems can only exist by self-organization as pulsing structures exchanging matter and energy with the outer world. This review is an attempt to reveal the organizational principles of the heterochromatin supra-intra-chromosomal network in terms of nonlinear thermodynamics. The accessibility of the linear information of the genetic code is regulated by constitutive heterochromatin (CHR) creating the positional information in a system of coordinates. These features include scale-free splitting-fusing of CHR with the boundary constraints of the nucleolus and nuclear envelope. The analysis of both the literature and our own data suggests a radial-concentric network as the main structural organization principle of CHR regulating transcriptional pulsing. The dynamic CHR network is likely created together with nucleolus-associated chromatin domains, while the alveoli of this network, including springy splicing speckles, are the pulsing transcription hubs. CHR contributes to this regulation due to the silencing position variegation effect, stickiness, and flexible rigidity determined by the positioning of nucleosomes. The whole system acts in concert with the elastic nuclear actomyosin network which also emerges by self-organization during the transcriptional pulsing process. We hypothesize that the the transcriptional pulsing, in turn, adjusts its frequency/amplitudes specified by topologically associating domains to the replication timing code that determines epigenetic differentiation memory.

Comparative analysis of DNA methylation polymorphism in drought sensitive (HPKC2) and tolerant (HPK4) genotypes of horse Gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum)

DNA methylation is known as an epigenetic modification that affects gene expression in plants. Variation in CpG methylation behavior was studied in two natural horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum [Lam.] Verdc.) genotypes, HPKC2 (drought-sensitive) and HPK4 (drought-tolerant). The methylation pattern in both genotypes was studied through methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism. The results revealed that methylation was higher in HPKC2 (10.1%) than in HPK4 (8.6%). Sequencing demonstrated sequence homology with the DRE binding factor (cbf1), the POZ/BTB protein, and the Ty1-copia retrotransposon among some of the polymorphic fragments showing alteration in methylation behavior. Differences in DNA methylation patterns could explain the differential drought tolerance and the epigenetic signature of these two horse gram genotypes.