How a Bird Gets Its Feathers: Insights from Chromatin Looping

In 2020, Liang et al. conducted a study published in Developmental Cell that explored the epigenetic mechanisms of feather and scale formation in chickens, particularly focusing on chromatin looping's role in regulating B-keratin genes. They discovered that macro-regional variations, like the differences between feathered and scaly skin, are controlled by typical enhancers, while micro-regional variations within individual feathers are associated with chromatin looping in the gene cluster. The study indicated that the Chr25 cluster of B-keratin genes is likely regulated as a unit, whereas the Chr27 cluster genes are independently regulated through distinct chromatin interactions. This research enhances the understanding of skin appendage development and the epigenetic factors influencing skin heterogeneity. In a separate study by Consolati et al. published in Cell Stem Cell in 2020, the researchers purified human gamma-tubulin ring complexes (yTuRCs) and used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to reveal their structure at 4Å resolution. They found a left-handed helical assembly with 14 globular features, identifying y-tubulin and various GCP proteins, and provided detailed structural insights into yTuRCs, which are crucial for microtubule nucleation and processes like hair follicle regeneration.