Epigenetics refers to heritable patterns of gene expression which do not depend on alterations of genomic DNA sequence.

This book provides a state-of-the-art account of a few selected hot spots by scientists at the edge in this extremely active field. It puts special emphasis on two main streams of research. One is the role of post-translational modifications of proteins, mostly histones, on chromatin structure and accessibility. The other one deals with parental genomic imprinting, a process which allows to express a few selected genes from only one of the parental allele while extinguishing the other.

Inhalt
Chromatin Remodeling Factors and DNA Replication.- Epigenetic Inheritance of Chromatin States Mediated by Polycomb and Trithorax Group Proteins in Drosophila.- How to Pack the Genome for a Safe Trip.- Chromatin Modifications on the Inactive X Chromosome.- Chromatin Mechanisms in Drosophila Dosage Compensation.- DNA Methylation in Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression.- The Epigenetic Breakdown of Cancer Cells: From DNA Methylation to Histone Modifications.- Developmental Regulation of the ?-Globin Gene Locus.- Epigenetic Regulation of Mammalian Imprinted Genes: From Primary to Functional Imprints.- Seed Development and Genomic Imprinting in Plants.