The Jumonji C-domain is a highly conserved protein domain found in a family of enzymes known for their role in histone demethylation, which is crucial for epigenetic regulation. These enzymes utilize a mechanism dependent on iron and 2-oxoglutarate to remove methyl groups from histones, influencing gene expression and cellular differentiation.

Jumonji C-domain

Highly conserved protein domain

Family of enzymes

Histone demethylation is a crucial epigenetic process that involves the removal of methyl groups from histone proteins, thereby influencing gene expression by altering chromatin structure. This process is mediated by specific enzymes, such as histone demethylases, and plays a vital role in regulating development, differentiation, and response to environmental signals.

Histone Demethylation

Epigenetic regulation involves modifications to DNA and histone proteins that affect gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence, thereby playing a crucial role in development, differentiation, and disease. These modifications are reversible and can be influenced by environmental factors, making them a dynamic interface between the genome and the environment.

Epigenetic Regulation

Mechanism dependent on iron

2-oxoglutarate

Methyl groups removal

Histones are proteins that help package DNA into structural units called nucleosomes, facilitating efficient DNA compaction and regulation of gene expression. They play a crucial role in epigenetic modifications, influencing chromatin structure and accessibility to transcription machinery.

Histones

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, typically proteins, which ultimately determine cellular function and phenotype. This process is tightly regulated at multiple levels, including transcription, RNA processing, translation, and post-translational modifications, to ensure proper cellular function and response to environmental cues.

Gene Expression

Cellular differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type, crucial for the development of multicellular organisms. This process is governed by gene expression and is influenced by both intrinsic factors, like genetic signals, and extrinsic factors, such as environmental cues.

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