| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Combinations of histone variants and modifications, conceptually representing a histone code, have been proposed to play a significant role in gene regulation and developmental processes in complex organisms. While various mechanisms have been implicated in establishing and maintaining epigenetic patterns at specific locations in the genome, they are generally believed to be independent of primary DNA sequence on a more global scale. RESULTS: To address this systematically in the case of the human genome, we have analyzed primary DNA sequences underlying 19 different methylated histones in human primary T-cells. We report that sequence alone can accurately predict the location of most of these histone marks genome-wide in this cell type. Furthermore, the sequence features responsible for such predictions are distinct for different groups of histone marks. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the existence of a genomic code for histone modification associated with gene expression and chromatin programming, and they suggest that the mechanisms responsible for global histone modifications may interpret genomic sequence in various ways. |
