Attenuated spread of X-inactivation in an X;autosome translocation

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0602021103
• Publication Date: 2006-05-06T00:41:18Z
• Authors: Bilyana C. Popova; Takashi Tada; Nobuo Takagi; Neil Brockdorff; Tatyana B. Nesterova
• Keywords: XIST; Dosage compensation

X inactivation in female mammals involves transcriptional silencing of an entire chromosome response to a cis-acting noncoding RNA, the inactive-specific transcript (Xist). Xist can also inactivate autosomal sequences, for example, X;autosome translocations; but here, appears be relatively inefficient. This variation has been attributed either attenuated spreading RNA at onset or inefficient maintenance silencing. Evidence date favored latter. Here, we demonstrate T(X;4)37H translocation. Our findings provide direct evidence that underlying chromosome/chromatin features disrupt primary inactivating signal.