MINI-REVIEW: Mechanisms Controlling Activation of the alpha-Globin Gene Domain in Chicken Erythroid Cells

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S. V. Razin^1,2* and E. S. Ioudinkova¹

¹Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Vavilova 34/5, 119334 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: sergey.v.razin@usa.net

²Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 25, 2007; Revision received January 30, 2007

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In this review we consider the organization of the chicken alpha-globin gene domain and mechanisms regulating the activity of this tissue-specific gene domain located in a potentially active (characterized by an increased sensitivity to nucleases) chromatin configuration in cells of all lineages. Both regulatory mechanisms ensuring repression of alpha-globin genes in non-erythroid cells and mechanisms responsible for activation of transcription of these genes during erythroid cell differentiation are discussed. The analysis of the structure-function organization of the chicken alpha-globin gene domain presented in this review is based mainly on the authors' own results obtained over the last 20 years. On discussing the hypotheses explaining the mechanisms controlling the functional activity of chicken alpha-globin gene domain, data obtained in studies of alpha-globin gene domains of other vertebrates are also analyzed.

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KEY WORDS: chromatin, genomic domains, alpha-globin genes, locus control region, insulators

DOI: 10.1134/S000629790705001X

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