Protein phosphatases in chromatin structure and function

Abstract

Chromatin structure and dynamics are highly controlled and regulated processes that play an essential role in many aspects of cell biology. The chromatin transition stages and the factors that control this process are regulated by post-translation modifications, including phosphorylation. While the role of protein kinases in chromatin dynamics has been quite well studied, the nature and regulation of the counteracting phosphatases represent an emerging field but are still at their infancy. In this review we summarize the current literature on phosphatases involved in the regulation of chromatin structure and dynamics, with emphases on the major knowledge gaps that should require attention and more investigation.

Keywords: Chromatin remodelling; Epigenetics; Histone phosphorylation; Phosphatases; Transcription regulation.