Recent advances in X-chromosome inactivation research

Abstract

X-chromosome inactivation is the mechanism ensuring dosage compensation in mammals. It is regulated by the X-inactivation center (Xic), which harbors the main regulator of XCI, the long non-coding RNA Xist. In the past two years significant advances have been made in our understanding of how Xist is regulated by its neighbors in the Xic and in a developmental context. New technologies, such as chromosome conformation capture and live cell imaging, have helped us understand the topological organization of the Xic and the dynamics of this locus during differentiation. Here, we will describe some of the most recent findings made in X-inactivation research with a special focus on the regulation of Xist and the spatial organization of the Xic.