Identification of novel components and regulators of heterochromatin reveals a spatially complex and dynamic organization.

Cooperative association of a histone-binding complex with pairs of appropriately modified nucleosomes, which form fundamental units of binding, mediates selective heterochromatin assembly and spreading.

Redundant pathways prevent heterochromatin spreading and ectopic heterochromatin assembly; and plasticity of heterochromatin assembly allows cells to adapt to heterochromatin stress.

Epigenetic restriction of herpes simplex virus occurs in a biphasic manner, in which ATRX maintains viral heterochromatin after an initial phase of chromatin deposition.

Large regions of foreign DNA inserted into mammalian chromosomes assemble into H3K9me3-heterochromatin and result in increased condensin loading with organisation into shorter mitotic chromosome loops than endogenous DNA.

Transposon activation during male gametogenesis is caused by interactions between DNA demethylation and linker histone H1, developmental depletion of which promotes pollen fertility.

Set1 has roles in chromatin organization and transcriptome control that are largely independent of histone H3 lysine 4 methylation.

Genetic and biochemical studies show that a conserved ribosome biogenesis complex also localizes to heterochromatin, where it triggers RNA degradation and promotes the spreading and epigenetic inheritance of histone methylation.

An RNA-mediated mechanism that stabilizes association of the Suv39h enzymes at mouse heterochromatin is defined.

Genome-wide profiling and functional analyses reveal a network of heterochromatin and small RNA factors that silences repetitive elements and prevents genotoxic stress to ensure fertility.