Control of nuclear receptor function by local chromatin structure

Steroid hormone receptors regulate gene transcription in a highly tissue‐specific manner. The local chromatin structure underlying promoters and hormone response elements is a major component involved in controlling these highly restricted expression patterns. Chromatin remodeling complexes, as well as histone and DNA modifying enzymes, are directed to gene‐specific regions and create permissive or repressive chromatin environments. These structures further enable proper communication between transcription factors, co‐regulators and basic transcription machinery. The regulatory elements active at target genes can be either constitutively accessible to receptors or subject to rapid receptor‐dependent modification. The chromatin states responsible for these processes are in turn determined during development and differentiation. Thus access of regulatory factors to elements in chromatin provides a major level of cell selective regulation.