Fig. 3

Possible role of scaffold proteins in X chromosome inactivation. a The binding of Xist to modified scaffold proteins induces the reorganization of the chromatin, as in (b), where Xist-mediated silencing is maintained by the nuclear scaffold. Genes to be silenced are dragged towards the nuclear matrix, preventing engagement of transcription factors at regulatory sites. CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) might serve as a barrier to prevent Xist-induced chromatin reorganization. LINEs long interspersed nuclear elements