Epigenetics & Chromatin

Featured article: Non-genomic transmission of longevity between generations

Accumulating animal and human data indicate that environmental exposures experienced during sensitive developmental periods may strongly influence risk of adult disease. The effects triggered by developmental environmental cues can be transgenerationally transmitted, potentially affecting offspring health outcomes. Increasing evidence suggests a central role of epigenetic mechanisms in mediating these effects. This review summarizes the findings from animal models and human studies, indicating that lifespan and longevity-associated characteristics can be transmitted across generations via non-genetic factors.

The protein Zelda was shown to play a key role in early Drosophila development, binding thousands of promoters and enhancers prior to maternal-to-zygotic transition, and marking them for transcriptional activation. Recently, we showed that Zelda acts through specific chromatin patterns of histone modifications to mark developmental enhancers and active promoters. Intriguingly, some Zelda sites still maintain these chromatin patterns in Drosophila embryos lacking maternal Zelda protein. This suggests that additional Zelda-like pioneer factors may act in early fly embryos.

Editors-in-Chief

Frank Grosveld, Erasmus University Medical Center
Steven Henikoff, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Aims and scope

Epigenetics & Chromatin is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes research, and reviews, providing novel insights into epigenetic inheritance and chromatin-based interactions. The journal aims to understand how gene and chromosomal elements are regulated and their activities maintained during processes such as cell division, differentiation and environmental alteration.

Efficient peer review

Rapid: our Editors-in-Chief maintain an average time from submission to a first decision of 21 days.

Expedited: we recognise that scientifically sound, high quality manuscripts are often turned away from broad-scope "high-impact" journals based on the issue of "general interest." As a specialist journal, Epigenetics & Chromatin will consider rapid publication of such manuscripts if they are submitted together with the original peer reviewer reports, letter of rejection, and a brief rebuttal.

Journal Authority Factor = 111.5

The Journal Authority Factor (JAF) is the average h-index of a journal’s senior editors. The JAF thus complements the Impact Factor by providing a measure of the experience of journal editors as practicing scientists and authors. All manuscripts submitted to Epigenetics & Chromatin are evaluated by the Editors-in-Chief, who also recommend reviewers, evaluate reviews and make all decisions regarding acceptance, revision or rejection. Our JAF of 111.5 compares favorably with that of academic society journals, such as PNAS (59.9), and professionally edited journals, such as Nature (6.5).