Strikingly, the new AML-specific H3K9me2 blocks contained a number of down-regulated proto-oncogenes, in particular genes transcriptionally regulated by ERG, a factor promoting adult hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and expansion [29, 30], suggesting that the spreading of H3K9me2 blocks in AML may restrict stem cell characteristics by inactivating ERG and its downstream targets. The gene discussed is ERG; the disease is acute myeloid leukemia.