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Epigenetic regulation of the neural transcriptome: the meaning of the marks

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Abstract

The field of epigenetics provides neurobiologists with candidate mechanisms for experience-dependent changes in gene transcription. The ability to realize the potential of epigenetics in defining the causal pathways lying between environmental signals, transcriptional regulation and neural function will depend on moving beyond correlational studies focusing on individual epigenetic marks. Here we attempt to provide a conceptual framework for integrative research on nucleotide sequence, chromatin modifications, RNA signaling and their interactions in understanding experience-dependent phenotypic plasticity. Studies in genomic imprinting may serve as an existing model for such approaches.

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Figure 1: The epigenetic interface.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Michael J Meaney and Anne C Ferguson-Smith: Both authors are at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michael J. Meaney is in the Sackler Program for Epigenetics & Psychobiology at McGill University, Douglas Hospital Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and,

    Michael J Meaney

  2. Anne C. Ferguson-Smith is in the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,

    Anne C Ferguson-Smith

Authors
  1. Michael J Meaney
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  2. Anne C Ferguson-Smith
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Correspondence to Michael J Meaney.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Meaney, M., Ferguson-Smith, A. Epigenetic regulation of the neural transcriptome: the meaning of the marks. Nat Neurosci 13, 1313–1318 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1110-1313

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