A large portion of the eukaryotic genome is packed into heterochromatin, a versatile platform that is essential to maintain genome stability. Often associated with a compact and transcriptionally repressed chromatin state, heterochromatin was earlier considered a static and locked compartment. However, cumulative findings over the last 17 years have suggested that heterochromatin displays dynamics at different timescales and size scales. These dynamics are thought to be essential for the regulation of heterochromatin. This review illustrates how the key principles underlying heterochromatin structure and function have evolved along the years and summarizes the discoveries that have led to the continuous revision of these principles. Using heterochromatin protein 1-mediated heterochromatin as a context, we discuss a novel paradigm for heterochromatin organization based on two emerging concepts, phase separation and nucleosome structural plasticity. We also examine the broader implications of this paradigm for chromatin organization and regulation beyond heterochromatin.

中文翻译：

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异染色质中的类液体相互作用：对机理和调控的影响。

真核生物基因组的大部分被包装到异染色质中，异染色质是维持基因组稳定性必不可少的多功能平台。异染色质通常与紧密的和转录抑制的染色质状态相关，较早之前被认为是一个静态的锁定隔室。但是，过去17年的累积发现表明异染色质在不同的时间尺度和大小尺度上显示出动态。这些动力学被认为对于异染色质的调节至关重要。这篇综述阐明了多年来异染色质结构和功能的关键原理是如何发展的，并总结了导致这些原理不断修订的发现。以异染色质蛋白1介导的异染色质为背景，我们讨论了基于两个新兴概念，相分离和核小体结构可塑性的异染色质组织的新范式。我们还检查了该范式对异染色质以外的染色质组织和调控的广泛影响。