Role of DNA replication in establishment and propagation of epigenetic states of chromatin.
DNA replication is the fundamental process of duplication of the genetic information that is vital for survival of all living cells. The basic mechanistic steps of replication initiation, elongation and termination are conserved among bacteria, lower eukaryotes, like yeast and metazoans. However, the details of the mechanisms are different. Furthermore, there is a close coordination between chromatin assembly pathways and various components of replication machinery whereby DNA replication is coupled to "chromatin replication" during cell cycle. Thereby, various epigenetic modifications associated with different states of gene expression in differentiated cells and the related chromatin structures are faithfully propagated during the cell division through tight coupling with the DNA replication machinery. Several examples are found in lower eukaryotes like budding yeast and fission yeast with close parallels in metazoans.
Singh J