| First Author | Brown CJ | Year | 1994 |
| Journal | Nature | Volume | 368 |
| Issue | 6467 | Pages | 154-6 |
| PubMed ID | 8139659 | Mgi Jnum | J:17471 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:65509 | Doi | 10.1038/368154a0 |
| Citation | Brown CJ, et al. (1994) The human X-inactivation centre is not required for maintenance of X-chromosome inactivation. Nature 368(6467):154-6 |
| abstractText | X-chromosome inactivation occurs early in mammalian female development to achieve dosage compensation with males. Although it is widely accepted that this inactivation requires the presence in cis of the X-inactivation centre (XIC), it is not known whether the XIC is required for the initiation, promulgation or maintenance of X inactivation. The XIST gene, which is localized within the XIC interval on both the human and mouse X chromosomes, is constitutively expressed from inactive X chromosomes, suggesting a possible role in the maintenance of X inactivation. To address whether the presence of the XIC, including the XIST gene, is continuously required for the maintenance of X-chromosome inactivation, we have analysed the transcriptional activity of a number of X-linked genes in mouse/human somatic cell hybrids retaining an intact human inactive X chromosome or derivatives of the inactive X chromosome lacking the XIC. Genes subject to X inactivation remain transcriptionally silent despite the loss of the XIC, demonstrating that the presence of the XIC is not required for the maintenance of X inactivation in somatic cells. |
