Regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II genes

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Nancy M. Choi, Emory University; Parimal Majumder, Emory University; Jeremy Boss, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-02
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coi.2010.09.007
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Current Opinion in Immunology
• ISSN: 0952-7915
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 81
• End Page: 87
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants AI34000 and GM47310
• Research Categories: Biology, Microbiology; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

Summary The major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) genes are regulated at the level of transcription. Recent studies have shown that chromatin modification is critical for efficient transcription of these genes, and a number of chromatin modifying complexes recruited to MHC-II genes have been described. The MHC-II genes are segregated from each other by a series of chromatin elements, termed MHC-II insulators. Interactions between MHC-insulators and the promoters of MHC-II genes are mediated by the insulator factor CCCTC-binding protein and are critical for efficient expression. This regulatory mechanism provides a novel view of how the entire MHC-II locus is assembled architecturally and can be coordinately controlled.