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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

ATP-driven exchange of histone H2AZ variant catalyzed by SWR1 chromatin remodeling complex

The conserved histone variant H2AZ has an important role in the regulation of gene expression and the establishment of a buffer to the spread of silent heterochromatin. How histone variants such as H2AZ are incorporated into nucleosomes has been obscure. We have found that Swr1, a Swi2/Snf2-related adenosine triphosphatase, is the catalytic core of a multisubunit, histone-variant exchanger that efficiently replaces conventional histone H2A with histone H2AZ in nucleosome arrays. Swr1 is required for the deposition of histone H2AZ at specific chromosome locations in vivo, and Swr1 and H2AZ commonly regulate a subset of yeast genes. These findings define a previously unknown role for the adenosine triphosphate-dependent chromatin remodeling machinery.     

Structure of HP1 chromodomain bound to a lysine 9-methylated histone H3 tail

The chromodomain of the HP1 family of proteins recognizes histone tails with specifically methylated lysines. Here, we present structural, energetic, and mutational analyses of the complex between the Drosophila HP1 chromodomain and the histone H3 tail with a methyllysine at residue 9, a modification associated with epigenetic silencing. The histone tail inserts as a beta strand, completing the beta-sandwich architecture of the chromodomain. The methylammonium group is caged by three aromatic side chains, whereas adjacent residues form discerning contacts with one face of the chromodomain. Comparison of dimethyl- and trimethyllysine-containing complexes suggests a role for cation-pi and van der Waals interactions, with trimethylation slightly improving the binding affinity.     

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.     

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.     

Infrared signature of structures associated with the H+(H2O)n (n = 6 to 27) clusters

We report the OH stretching vibrational spectra of size-selected H+(H2O)n clusters through the region of the pronounced "magic number" at n = 21 in the cluster distribution. Sharp features are observed in the spectra and assigned to excitation of the dangling OH groups throughout the size range 6 相似文献   

拟南芥H3K27甲基转移酶CLF响应环境温度和参与温度形态建成研究

目的 探索拟南芥H3K27甲基转移酶CURLY LEAF(CLF)在温度形态建成中的作用。方法 在不同温度条件(22和16 ℃)下,对拟南芥Arabidopsis野生型Col-0和突变体clf-29进行表型分析和转录组分析,筛选差异表达基因。结果 在不同温度条件下,clf-29表现出显著的表型差异,相较于22 ℃,16 ℃时clf-29和Col-0的表型差异更小。转录组分析发现CLF的缺失会导致大量基因表达差异,并将其分为4种类型(仅在Col-0显著上调、下调,仅在clf-29突变体显著上调、下调),包含96个温度响应基因。结论 拟南芥表观遗传调控因子CLF响应环境温度,并参与温度形态建成。     

2009～2013年广西H1N1和H3N2亚型猪流感病毒血清学调查

[目的]了解广西H1N1和H3N2亚型猪流感病毒(SIV)的存在形势及其流行规律,为下一步有效监测和防控猪流感(SI)提供理论依据和原始溯源.[方法]对2009～2013年于广西11个地级市的屠宰场、规模化养猪场和个体养殖户采集的1170份猪血清进行血凝抑制(HI)试验检测,统计欧洲禽源H1N1 (EA-H1N1)亚型和新型人源重组H3N2(Hu-H3N2)亚型4株毒株(LB 144和BB2、NNXD和JGB4)的抗体阳性率,并分析H1N1和H3N2亚型毒株的存在形势及其流行规律.[结果]2009～2013年,EA-H1N1亚型LB144毒株的平均抗体阳性率高达20.68％,且保持稳定,是广西地区主要的流行毒株;Hu-H3N2亚型JGB4毒株从2010年开始流行,且呈逐渐蔓延的趋势,平均抗体阳性率为19.96％.广西北海、南宁、玉林、贺州、桂林、贵港和柳州市受到EA-H1N1和Hu-H3N2亚型毒株多重感染,且感染程度较严重;百色、河池和防城港市的感染程度相对较低.育肥猪最易感染SIV,尤其是BB2和JGB4毒株,其抗体阳性率分别达66.00％和40.00％.EA-H1N1亚型毒株间的交叉感染阳性率(21.52％)略低于Hu-H3N2亚型毒株间的交叉感染阳性率(27.45％),而两株不同亚型毒株交叉感染时以BB2与JGB4毒株的交叉感染阳性率最高(16.23％),3株交叉感染时以BB2、NNXD和JGB4毒株间的交叉感染阳性率最高(11.60％),4株同时交叉感染阳性率也有6.96％.[结论]广西猪群已普遍存在EA-H1N1和Hu-H3N2亚型毒株混合感染的现象,尤其是地处两省边界上的地级市感染更严重,并以育肥猪和保育猪较易感.因此在SI防控工作中,除做好哺乳仔猪和种猪的日常管理外,还应减少保育猪的外来应激,适当调整育肥猪的饲养密度,以减少新型SIV重组毒株的产生.     

Ultraviolet irradiation transforms C3H10T1/2 cells to a unique, suppressible phenotype

Transformation of C3H10T1/2 cells by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation followed by tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) has been used as a model of two-stage carcinogenesis. However, cells cloned from UV-TPA-induced foci (UV-TDTx cells) had a unique phenotype. Cloned UV-TDTx cells appeared transformed in pure culture but were unable to form foci when cocultured with C3H10T1/2 cells. However, in the presence of TPA, UV-TDTx cells form foci in mixed culture with C3H10T1/2 cells. This phenotype was the only one observed for UV-TPA transformants. These data suggest that communal suppression of cell division is a discrete phenomenon that must be overcome as one step in the multistage process of transformation, and this protocol permits the routine isolation of transformed cells responsive to density-dependent growth suppression.