Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation, SAIC-Basic Science Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21701, USA. muegge@ncifcrf.gov
The organization of chromatin and modifications to the tails of histone proteins are thought to be important in regulating the rearrangement of V, D and J gene segments, which encode immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors. A recent study shows that methylated lysine 79 in the core region of histone H3 also plays a role by providing a euchromatic 'mark' that may regulate access of the V(D)J recombinase.