Allele-specific chromatin immunoprecipitation studies show genetic influence on chromatin state in human genome
2007

Genetic Influence on Chromatin State in Humans

Sample size: 12 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kadota Mitsutaka, Yang Howard H, Hu Nan, Wang Chaoyu, Hu Ying, Taylor Philip R, Buetow Kenneth H, Lee Maxwell P

Primary Institution: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America

Hypothesis

Genetic inheritance may also affect variation in chromatin states.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that genetic inheritance can determine the epigenetic state of chromatin in humans.

Supporting Evidence

  • The study found that chromatin state clustered by family.
  • Genetic inheritance was shown to influence global chromatin state mediated by histone modification.
  • Allelic variation in gene expression is common, affecting about half of the genes in the human genome.

Takeaway

This study shows that the way our genes are inherited can change how our DNA is packaged, which can affect how our genes work.

Methodology

The study used allele-specific chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-on-chip) assays on lymphoblastoid cells from two families.

Limitations

The maximum number of individuals informative for any SNP tested was five, limiting statistical power.

Participant Demographics

Lymphoblastoid cells derived from individuals in two CEPH families.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pgen.0030081

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