Histone Modifications: Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression
Histone post-translational modifications are central to epigenetic regulation, influencing chromatin organization and the recruitment of regulatory proteins. This article summarizes the principal roles and representative markers of histone acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. It also introduces the coordinated actions of histone writers, erasers, and readers; commonly used approaches including ChIP-seq, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence; and the relevance of dysregulated histone modifications to disease mechanisms and therapeutic research. Because the effects of individual marks depend on their genomic context and interactions with other modifications, they should be interpreted using complementary evidence.