Epigenomics histone modifications

Esteller, M. (2007) Cancer epigenomics DNA mefhylomes and histone-modification maps. Nature Reviews. Genetics, 8, 286-298. 

Esteller M. Cancer epigenomics DNA methylomes and histone-modification maps. Nat. Rev. Genet. 2007 8 286-298. 

Epigenetics refers to the inheritance of information from a single cell to another, independent of the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and, more recently, a variety of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). These mechanisms have been extensively reviewed elsewhere (7). Here, we briefly summarize them and emphasize those features relevant in the field of epigenomics. 

From the previous sections it is now possible to define epigenomics. It refers to the study of the complete set of epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation, histone modifications, and/or specific ncRNAs) that occur across the entire genome of a cell/tissue at a specific time (28). 

The functionality of some chromatin modification patterns is well established however, the vast majority remains poorly understood. Given that histones are subject to more than 100 post-translational modihcations, considerable efforts to characterize the mammalian epigenome are ongoing. 

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