A kinetic proofreading argument to understand the role of H3K9 trimethylation in phase-separated chromatin states
Abstract
Histone trimethylation on the tail residue H3K9 of nucleosomes is a hallmark of constitutive heterochromatin. The mechanism of how this mark is maintained over cell division cycles remains a topic of ongoing debate. The recent formulation of the polymer-assisted condensation scenario, through which a stable droplet condensate can form as a reaction container for methylation reactions, has offered a novel approach to answer this long-standing question. In this letter, we develop a kinetic proofreading argument for histone tail methylation that builds on the polymer-assisted condensation model and yields support to the idea that liquid-liquid phase separation underlies the reconstitution of heterochromatin over cell division cycles.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
Nuclear Structure and Function
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Biophysical Journal
- Volume
- 125
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1207–1210
- Publication date
- 9 February 2026
- Language
- EN