Abstract
Regulation of transcription in eukaryotic cells is a dynamic interplay between chromatin structure and recruitment of a plethora of transcription factors to enhancers, upstream activator sequences, and proximal promoter elements. These factors serve to recruit RNA polymerase to the core promoter for productive transcription. In this Thematic Minireview Series on chromatin and transcription, five reviews summarize current knowledge of diverse aspects of transcriptional regulation and the role of chromatin structure in transcription and development.