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Glite Dictionary
🧬 Paired chromosomes 🧬 Chromosome pair ⚛️ Two chemical bonds 🧫 Mixed gene marks
bivalent

bivalent

9.9
DNA regions with signals both to turn a gene on and to keep it off
  • adjective
  • /ˌbaɪˈveɪlənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : bivalente
  • A bivalent state is important!

Examples

  • In epigenetics, a gene with bivalent modifications can be activated or repressed depending on the cellular context.

  • Loss of a repressive mark converted the locus from bivalent to actively transcribed chromatin.

  • In stem cells, bivalent chromatin carries both activating and repressive histone marks.

  • Researchers found a bivalent domain at the promoter of several developmental genes in embryos.

  • The bivalent regions are essential.

  • Researchers found that bivalent histone marks indicate a gene is ready for activation but is currently repressed.

  • The presence of bivalent domains in embryonic stem cells suggests their crucial role in gene regulation during development.

Surface Forms

bivalent positive

Morphology

bivalent = valent (semi-transparent) = bi + valent

Morphologically clear as 'bi-' + 'valent', but the epigenetic sense (carrying two contrasting chromatin marks) is a specialized extension of duality requiring domain knowledge.

Etymology

Bivalent combines bi- 'two' and valent 'power' or 'value', so it means 'having two different qualities'. In epigenetics, a bivalent region carries both an activating mark and a repressive mark, which leaves a gene 'poised' or ready to be switched on later.