Chapter 4, Problem 11P

Summary Introduction

To explain:  The reason why histone methylation leads to either gene activation or gene inactivation which in contrast to histone acetylation which always leads to gene activation.

Concept introduction:  Histones are basic amino acids rich proteins which bind to the negatively charged DNA and help to compact them to form nucleosomes and later the chromosomes. Some of the regions of the DNA are transcriptionally active and in those regions the histones must be removed. The histones are removed by histone modification.