Abstract
Regulation of genes by repression of transcription represents a virtually universal mechanism that underlies such diverse biological processes as restriction of expression of neuronal genes to neurons in mammals, and control of flowering in plants. However, while the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional gene silencing in animal systems are being intensively studied, our understanding of these processes in plants is very sparse and, because plants often utilize unique strategies to establish and maintain chromatin states, only limited use can be made of information available on epigenetic modifications in nonplant systems.