Role of histone H3 lysine 27 methylation in Polycomb-group silencing

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins play important roles in maintaining the silent state of HOX genes. Recent studies have implicated histone methylation in long-term gene silencing. However, a connection between PcG-mediated gene silencing and histone methylation has not been established. Here we report the purification and characterization of an EED-EZH2 complex, the human counterpart of the Drosophila ESC-E(Z) complex. We demonstrate that the complex specifically methylates nucleosomal histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3-K27). Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we show that H3-K27 methylation colocalizes with, and is dependent on, E(Z) binding at an Ultrabithorax (Ubx) Polycomb response element (PRE), and that this methylation correlates with Ubx repression. Methylation on H3-K27 facilitates binding of Polycomb (PC), a component of the PRC1 complex, to histone H3 amino-terminal tail. Thus, these studies establish a link between histone methylation and PcG-mediated gene silencing.     

Role of histone H3 lysine 27 methylation in X inactivation

The Polycomb group (PcG) protein Eed is implicated in regulation of imprinted X-chromosome inactivation in extraembryonic cells but not of random X inactivation in embryonic cells. The Drosophila homolog of the Eed-Ezh2 PcG protein complex achieves gene silencing through methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3-K27), which suggests a role for H3-K27 methylation in imprinted X inactivation. Here we demonstrate that transient recruitment of the Eed-Ezh2 complex to the inactive X chromosome (Xi) occurs during initiation of X inactivation in both extraembryonic and embryonic cells and is accompanied by H3-K27 methylation. Recruitment of the complex and methylation on the Xi depend on Xist RNA but are independent of its silencing function. Together, our results suggest a role for Eed-Ezh2-mediated H3-K27 methylation during initiation of both imprinted and random X inactivation and demonstrate that H3-K27 methylation is not sufficient for silencing of the Xi.     

孕鼠DEHP暴露影响胎儿早期卵母细胞H3K27me3表达的研究

本文以胎鼠卵母细胞为研究对象,分析了妊娠母鼠孕期暴露邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基)己酯(DEHP)对胎鼠卵母细胞早期发育过程中组蛋白甲基化修饰程度的影响,结果发现:妊娠母鼠在12.5 dpc到16.5 dpc 期间暴露40 μg/kg DEHP,第一次减数分裂前期的胎鼠雌性生殖细胞的H3K27me3表达受到了显著影响,导致H3K27me3强阳性细胞比例显著减少.该研究结果说明DEHP可通过孕鼠影响胎鼠卵母细胞早期发育过程中的组蛋白甲基化修饰.     

动物组蛋白H3K4三甲基化转移酶MLL3的生物信息学分析(英文)

[目的]对动物组蛋白H3K4三甲基化转移酶MLL3进行生物信息学分析,从而探寻其相对保守的进化过程以揭示组蛋白H3K4三甲基化转移酶MLL3在在人类癌症的中的作用。[方法]利用生物信息学的方法,对小鼠MLL3的基因结构、氨基酸序列、系统进化树、染色体定位和共线性等问题进行分析。[结果]编码合成的小鼠MLL3蛋白质一级结构包括7个锌指结构域、1个HMG-box(高迁移率族蛋白)、1个FYRN(N-末端富含苯丙氨酸或酪氨酸区域)、1个FYRC(C-末端富含苯丙氨酸或酪氨酸区域)、1个SET域和1个postSET域;从序列对比和同源性上发现,该研究中的19种动物都基本上具有这些结构,说明这些结构在进化上是相对保守的,其中SET域具有高度的保守性,是维持组蛋白甲基化酶活性所必须的;从系统发生上看,19种动物在进化树上的位置与其分类地位相一致;在共线性分析中,虽然小鼠和人的MLL3基因位于不同的染色体上,但其上游和下游具有相同的基因,说明小鼠和人的MLL3基因具有共线性。[结论]不仅揭示了MLL3的核苷酸序列及其氨基酸序列的一级结构,为以后研究其高级结构和蛋白质的功能奠定了基础;同时也为后期进行小鼠MLL3基因的引物设计、启动子分析、基因的克隆、定位和表达的调控模式研究奠定了基础。     

动物组蛋白H3K4三甲基化转移酶MLL3的生物信息学分析

[目的]对动物组蛋白H3K4三甲基化转移酶MLL3进行生物信息学分析。[方法]利用生物信息学的方法,对小鼠MLL3的基因结构、氨基酸序列、系统进化树、染色体定位和共线性等问题进行分析。[结果]编码合成的小鼠MLL3蛋白质一级结构包括7个锌指结构域、1个HMG-box(高迁移率族蛋白)、1个FYRN(N-末端富含苯丙氨酸或酪氨酸区域)、1个FYRC(C-末端富含苯丙氨酸或酪氨酸区域)、1个SET域和1个postSET域;从序列对比和同源性上发现,该研究中的19种动物都基本上具有这些结构,说明这些结构在进化上是相对保守的,其中SET域具有高度的保守性,是维持组蛋白甲基化酶活性所必须的;从系统发生上看,19种动物在进化树上的位置与其分类地位相一致;在共线性分析中,虽然小鼠和人的MLL3基因位于不同的染色体上,但其上游和下游具有相同的基因,说明小鼠和人的MLL3基因具有共线性。[结论]不仅揭示了MLL3的核苷酸序列及其氨基酸序列的一级结构,为以后研究其高级结构和蛋白质的功能奠定了基础;同时也为后期进行小鼠MLL3基因的引物设计、启动子分析、基因的克隆、定位和表达的调控模式研究奠定了基础。     

Dependence of heterochromatic histone H3 methylation patterns on the Arabidopsis gene DDM1

The Arabidopsis gene DDM1 is required to maintain DNA methylation levels and is responsible for transposon and transgene silencing. However, rather than encoding a DNA methyltransferase, DDM1 has similarity to the SWI/SNF family of adenosine triphosphate-dependent chromatin remodeling genes, suggesting an indirect role in DNA methylation. Here we show that DDM1 is also required to maintain histone H3 methylation patterns. In wild-type heterochromatin, transposons and silent genes are associated with histone H3 methylated at lysine 9, whereas known genes are preferentially associated with methylated lysine 4. In ddm1 heterochromatin, DNA methylation is lost, and methylation of lysine 9 is largely replaced by methylation of lysine 4. Because DNA methylation has recently been shown to depend on histone H3 lysine 9 methylation, our results suggest that transposon methylation may be guided by histone H3 methylation in plant genomes. This would account for the epigenetic inheritance of hypomethylated DNA once histone H3 methylation patterns are altered.     

Akt-mediated phosphorylation of EZH2 suppresses methylation of lysine 27 in histone H3

Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a methyltransferase that plays an important role in many biological processes through its ability to trimethylate lysine 27 in histone H3. Here, we show that Akt phosphorylates EZH2 at serine 21 and suppresses its methyltransferase activity by impeding EZH2 binding to histone H3, which results in a decrease of lysine 27 trimethylation and derepression of silenced genes. Our results imply that Akt regulates the methylation activity, through phosphorylation of EZH2, which may contribute to oncogenesis.     

同步化处理后小鼠成纤维细胞表观遗传水平的相对定量分析

供体细胞的同步化处理可能改变其表观遗传特性,进而影响胚胎的克隆效率。研究同步化处理对小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞(mouse embryonicf ibroblasts,MEFs)组蛋白H3K9甲基化、乙酰化及组蛋白H3K4单甲基化、三甲基化表达的影响。分离培养MEFs,增殖稳定的第3代MEFs分别用5mL/L血清饥饿处理4d或15mL/LDM-SO处理2d使细胞处于增殖抑制期,通过免疫组化染色和Image-J图像处理软件,相对定量比较不同处理情况下组蛋白H3K9甲基化、乙酰化和组蛋白H3K4单甲基化、三甲基化变化情况。Ki-67染色检测结果表明,两种同步化处理可使细胞处于G0期或G1期。DMSO处理使MEFs组蛋白H3K9乙酰化表达水平升高,而5mL/L血清饥饿处理则使其表达水平下降;此外,两种同步化处理均导致组蛋白H3K9甲基化和H3K4单甲基化表达下降,但不影响组蛋白H3K4三甲基化的表达水平。研究结论表明:同步化处理可改变MEFs组蛋白乙酰化和甲基化表达水平,进而有可能影响胚胎克隆效率。     

A histone acetyltransferase regulates active DNA demethylation in Arabidopsis

Active DNA demethylation is an important part of epigenetic regulation in plants and animals. How active DNA demethylation is regulated and its relationship with histone modification patterns are unclear. Here, we report the discovery of IDM1, a regulator of DNA demethylation in Arabidopsis. IDM1 is required for preventing DNA hypermethylation of highly homologous multicopy genes and other repetitive sequences that are normally targeted for active DNA demethylation by Repressor of Silencing 1 and related 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases. IDM1 binds methylated DNA at chromatin sites lacking histone H3K4 di- or trimethylation and acetylates H3 to create a chromatin environment permissible for 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases to function. Our study reveals how some genes are indicated by multiple epigenetic marks for active DNA demethylation and protection from silencing.     

Role of histone H3 lysine 9 methylation in epigenetic control of heterochromatin assembly

The assembly of higher order chromatin structures has been linked to the covalent modifications of histone tails. We provide in vivo evidence that lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3 Lys9) is preferentially methylated by the Clr4 protein at heterochromatin-associated regions in fission yeast. Both the conserved chromo- and SET domains of Clr4 are required for H3 Lys9 methylation in vivo. Localization of Swi6, a homolog of Drosophila HP1, to heterochomatic regions is dependent on H3 Lys9 methylation. Moreover, an H3-specific deacetylase Clr3 and a beta-propeller domain protein Rik1 are required for H3 Lys9 methylation by Clr4 and Swi6 localization. These data define a conserved pathway wherein sequential histone modifications establish a "histone code" essential for the epigenetic inheritance of heterochromatin assembly.     

FSH处理对猪颗粒细胞中类固醇合成酶基因的表达及其调控区组蛋白H3修饰的影响

【目的】研究FSH处理对猪卵巢颗粒细胞类固醇合成酶、垂体激素受体、凋亡相关等基因表达的影响及此过程中组蛋白H3修饰的变化情况。【方法】首先,采集猪卵巢组织并用注射器抽取方法收集卵泡颗粒细胞,用含血清体系体外培养颗粒细胞至贴壁,血清饥饿16h后用终浓度5IU·mL~(-1)的FSH处理24h,并收集细胞。其次,提取细胞m RNA,采用qRT-PCR方法检测类固醇合成酶(STAR、CYP11A1、HSD3B和CYP19A1)、垂体激素受体(FSHR和LHR)、凋亡相关基因(XIAP和Fas L)m RNA的表达变化,最后,相同处理后固定细胞,采用染色质免疫沉淀结合q PCR(Ch IP-q PCR)方法检测类固醇合成酶基因STAR、CYP19A1和HSD3B上游转录调控区组蛋白H3修饰(H3K4me2、H3K4me3、H3K9ac和H3K14ac)状况。【结果】5IU·mL~(-1)的FSH处理引起类固醇合成酶基因STAR、CYP19A1和HSD3B分别为2倍(P0.01)、2.8倍(P0.01)和3.6倍(P0.05)的显著上调,而CYP11A1表达水平没有显著变化;FSH处理对垂体激素受体FSHR、LHR和凋亡相关基因XIAP、Fas L影响不显著。在上调的三个类固醇合成酶基因中,HSD3B调控区组蛋白H3修饰变化最为显著,H3K4me2、H3K4me3、H3K9ac和H3K14ac结合分别有14.7倍(P0.01)、13.6倍(P0.01)、19.7(P0.01)倍和2.5倍(P0.05)的显著上调;STAR基因调控区的H3K9ac在处理后有11.1倍的显著下降(P0.05);CYP19A基因调控区的H3K4me3和H3K9ac分别有0.5倍的上调(P0.01)和10.4倍(P0.01)的下降,其余组蛋白修饰在处理前后没有显著变化。【结论】FSH处理24h对颗粒细胞类固醇合成酶基因转录有显著上调作用,对其转录过程有H3组蛋白修饰参与,组蛋白修饰模式具有基因特异性。垂体激素受体和凋亡相关基因的应答可能需要FSH和其他因素的联合作用。     

Recognition of histone H3 lysine-4 methylation by the double tudor domain of JMJD2A

Biological responses to histone methylation critically depend on the faithful readout and transduction of the methyl-lysine signal by "effector" proteins, yet our understanding of methyl-lysine recognition has so far been limited to the study of histone binding by chromodomain and WD40-repeat proteins. The double tudor domain of JMJD2A, a Jmjc domain-containing histone demethylase, binds methylated histone H3-K4 and H4-K20. We found that the double tudor domain has an interdigitated structure, and the unusual fold is required for its ability to bind methylated histone tails. The cocrystal structure of the JMJD2A double tudor domain with a trimethylated H3-K4 peptide reveals that the trimethyl-K4 is bound in a cage of three aromatic residues, two of which are from the tudor-2 motif, whereas the binding specificity is determined by side-chain interactions involving amino acids from the tudor-1 motif. Our study provides mechanistic insights into recognition of methylated histone tails by tudor domains and reveals the structural intricacy of methyl-lysine recognition by two closely spaced effector domains.