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Taghvimi S, Soltani Fard E, Khatami SH, Zafaranchi Z M S, Taheri-Anganeh M, Movahedpour A, Ghasemi H. lncRNA HOTAIR and Cardiovascular diseases. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:165. [PMID: 39294422 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01444-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) a major contributor to global mortality rates, with a steadily rising prevalence observed across the world. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie the signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of CVDs represents a salient and advantageous avenue toward the development of precision and targeted therapeutics. A recent development in CVDs research is the discovery of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are now understood to have crucial roles in the onset and development of several pathophysiological processes. The distinct expression patterns exhibited by lncRNAs in various CVDs contexts, present a significant opportunity for their utilization as both biomarkers and targets for therapeutic intervention. Among the various identified lncRNAs, HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) functions as signaling molecules that are significantly implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders in response to risk factors. HOTAIR has been observed to circulate within the bloodstream and possesses an integral epigenetic regulatory function in the transcriptional pathways of many diseases. Recent studies have suggested that HOTAIR offers promise as a biomarker for the detection and treatment of CVDs. The investigation on HOTAIR's role in CVDs, however, is still in its early phases. The goal of the current study is to give a thorough overview of recent developments in the field of analyzing the molecular mechanism of HOTAIR in controlling the pathophysiological processes of CVDs as well as its possible therapeutic uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Taghvimi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Elahe Soltani Fard
- Student Research Committee, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Seyyed Hossein Khatami
- Student Research Committee, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Zafaranchi Z M
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mortaza Taheri-Anganeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Ahmad Movahedpour
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
| | - Hassan Ghasemi
- Research Center for Environmental Contaminants (RCEC), Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran.
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2
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Diao AJ, Su BG, Vos SM. Pause Patrol: Negative Elongation Factor's Role in Promoter-Proximal Pausing and Beyond. J Mol Biol 2024:168779. [PMID: 39241983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase (Pol) II is highly regulated to ensure appropriate gene expression. Early transcription elongation is associated with transient pausing of RNA Pol II in the promoter-proximal region. In multicellular organisms, this pausing is stabilized by the association of transcription elongation factors DRB-sensitivity inducing factor (DSIF) and Negative Elongation Factor (NELF). DSIF is a broadly conserved transcription elongation factor whereas NELF is mostly restricted to the metazoan lineage. Mounting evidence suggests that NELF association with RNA Pol II serves as checkpoint for either release into rapid and productive transcription elongation or premature termination at promoter-proximal pause sites. Here we summarize NELF's roles in promoter-proximal pausing, transcription termination, DNA repair, and signaling based on decades of cell biological, biochemical, and structural work and describe areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette J Diao
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 68, 31 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Bonnie G Su
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 68, 31 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Seychelle M Vos
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 68, 31 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States.
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3
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Sharma AL, Tyagi P, Khumallambam M, Tyagi M. Cocaine-induced DNA-PK relieves RNAP II pausing by promoting TRIM28 phosphorylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.19.608673. [PMID: 39229050 PMCID: PMC11370412 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Drug abuse continues to pose a significant challenge in HIV control efforts. In our investigation, we discovered that cocaine not only upregulates the expression of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) but also augments DNA-PK activation by enhancing its phosphorylation at S2056. Moreover, DNA-PK phosphorylation triggers the translocation of DNA-PK into the nucleus. The finding that cocaine promotes nuclear translocation of DNA-PK further validates our observation of enhanced DNA-PK recruitment at the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) following cocaine exposure. By activating and facilitating the nuclear translocation of DNA-PK, cocaine effectively orchestrates multiple stages of HIV transcription, thereby promoting HIV replication. Additionally, our study indicates that cocaine-induced DNA-PK promotes hyper-phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) at Ser5 and Ser2 sites, enhancing both initiation and elongation phases, respectively, of HIV transcription. Cocaine's enhancement of transcription initiation and elongation is further supported by its activation of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) and subsequent phosphorylation of CDK9, thereby promoting positive transcriptional elongation factor b (P-TEFb) activity. We demonstrate for the first time that cocaine, through DNA-PK activation, promotes the specific phosphorylation of TRIM28 at Serine 824 (p-TRIM28, S824). This modification converts TRIM28 from a transcriptional inhibitor to a transactivator for HIV transcription. Additionally, we observe that phosphorylation of TRIM28 (p-TRIM28, S824) promotes the transition from the pausing phase to the elongation phase of HIV transcription, thereby facilitating the production of full-length HIV genomic transcripts. This finding corroborates the observed enhanced RNAP II CTD phosphorylation at Ser2, a marker of transcriptional elongation, following cocaine exposure. Accordingly, upon cocaine treatment, we observed elevated recruitment of p-TRIM28-(S824) at the HIV LTR. Overall, our results have unraveled the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying cocaine-induced HIV transcription and gene expression. These findings hold promise for the development of highly targeted therapeutics aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of cocaine in individuals living with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Priya Tyagi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Meenata Khumallambam
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Mudit Tyagi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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4
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Yu H, Lesch BJ. Functional Roles of H3K4 Methylation in Transcriptional Regulation. Mol Cell Biol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 39155435 DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2024.2388254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone 3 lysine 4 methylation (H3K4me) is a highly evolutionary conserved chromatin modification associated with active transcription, and its three methylation states-mono, di, and trimethylation-mark distinct regulatory elements. However, whether H3K4me plays functional roles in transcriptional regulation or is merely a by-product of histone methyltransferases recruited to actively transcribed loci is still under debate. Here, we outline the studies that have addressed this question in yeast, Drosophila, and mammalian systems. We review evidence from histone residue mutation, histone modifier manipulation, and epigenetic editing, focusing on the relative roles of H3K4me1 and H3K4me3. We conclude that H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 may have convergent functions in establishing open chromatin and promoting transcriptional activation during cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Yu
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Bluma J Lesch
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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5
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Lucchini S, Constantinou M, Marino S. Unravelling the mosaic: Epigenetic diversity in glioblastoma. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 39148319 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumour. Despite decades of intensive research in the disease, its prognosis remains poor, with an average survival of only 14 months after diagnosis. The remarkable level of intra- and interpatient heterogeneity is certainly contributing to the lack of progress in tackling this tumour. Epigenetic dysregulation plays an important role in glioblastoma biology and significantly contributes to intratumour heterogeneity. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that it also contributes to intertumour heterogeneity, which historically had mainly been linked to diverse genetic events occurring in different patients. In this review, we explore how DNA methylation, chromatin remodelling, microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation, and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) alterations contribute to intertumour heterogeneity in glioblastoma, including its implications for advanced tumour stratification, which is the essential first step for developing more effective patient-specific therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lucchini
- Brain Tumour Research Centre, Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | - Myrianni Constantinou
- Brain Tumour Research Centre, Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | - Silvia Marino
- Brain Tumour Research Centre, Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK
- Barts Brain Tumour Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK
- Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
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6
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Santos L, Behrens L, Barbosa C, Tiefensee-Ribeiro C, Rosa-Silva H, Somensi N, Brum PO, Silveira AK, Rodrigues MS, de Oliveira J, Gelain DP, Almeida RF, Moreira JCF. Histone 3 Trimethylation Patterns are Associated with Resilience or Stress Susceptibility in a Rat Model of Major Depression Disorder. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:5718-5737. [PMID: 38225513 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03912-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a severe and multifactorial psychiatric condition. Evidence has shown that environmental factors, such as stress, significantly explain MDD pathophysiology. Studies have hypothesized that changes in histone methylation patterns are involved in impaired glutamatergic signaling. Based on this scenario, this study aims to investigate histone 3 involvement in depression susceptibility or resilience in MDD pathophysiology by investigating cellular and molecular parameters related to i) glutamatergic neurotransmission, ii) astrocytic functioning, and iii) neurogenesis. For this, we subjected male Wistar rats to the Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model of depression. We propose that by evaluating the sucrose consumption, open field, and object recognition test performance from animals submitted to CUMS, it is possible to predict with high specificity rats with susceptibility to depressive-like phenotype and resilient to the depressive-like phenotype. We also demonstrated, for the first time, that patterns of H3K4me3, H3K9me3, H3K27me3, and H3K36me3 trimethylation are strictly associated with the resilient or susceptible to depressive-like phenotype in a brain-region-specific manner. Additionally, susceptible animals have reduced DCx and GFAP and resilient animals present increase of AQP-4 immunoreactivity. Together, these results provide evidence that H3 trimethylations are related to the development of the resilient or susceptible to depressive-like phenotype, contributing to further advances in the pathophysiology of MDD and the discovery of mechanisms behind resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Santos
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Luiza Behrens
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Camila Barbosa
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Camila Tiefensee-Ribeiro
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Helen Rosa-Silva
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Nauana Somensi
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Pedro Ozorio Brum
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna BioCenter, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexandre Kleber Silveira
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Matheus Scarpatto Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Investigação de Desordens Metabólicas e Doenças Neurodegenerativas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jade de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigação de Desordens Metabólicas e Doenças Neurodegenerativas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Daniel Pens Gelain
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Roberto F Almeida
- Centro de Ciências Químicas Farmacêuticas e de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica e Bioprospecção, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - José Cláudio Fonseca Moreira
- Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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7
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Sharma R, Bisht P, Kesharwani A, Murti K, Kumar N. Epigenetic modifications in Parkinson's disease: A critical review. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 975:176641. [PMID: 38754537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder expected to increase by over 50% by 2030 due to increasing life expectancy. The disease's hallmarks include slow movement, tremors, and postural instability. Impaired protein processing is a major factor in the pathophysiology of PD, leading to the buildup of aberrant protein aggregates, particularly misfolded α-synuclein, also known as Lewy bodies. These Lewy bodies lead to inflammation and further death of dopaminergic neurons, leading to imbalances in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, causing excessive uncontrollable movements called dyskinesias. It was previously suggested that a complex interplay involving hereditary and environmental variables causes the specific death of neurons in PD; however, the exact mechanism of the association involving the two primary modifiers is yet unknown. An increasing amount of research points to the involvement of epigenetics in the onset and course of several neurological conditions, such as PD. DNA methylation, post-modifications of histones, and non-coding RNAs are the primary examples of epigenetic alterations, that is defined as alterations to the expression of genes and functioning without modifications in DNA sequence. Epigenetic modifications play a significant role in the development of PD, with genes such as Parkin, PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), DJ1, Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2), and alpha-synuclein associated with the disease. The aberrant epigenetic changes implicated in the pathophysiology of PD and their impact on the design of novel therapeutic approaches are the primary focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravikant Sharma
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 5, 90220, Oulu, Finland
| | - Priya Bisht
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institution of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Vaishali, 844102, Bihar, India
| | - Anuradha Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institution of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Vaishali, 844102, Bihar, India
| | - Krishna Murti
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, National Institution of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Vaishali, 844102, Bihar, India
| | - Nitesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institution of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Vaishali, 844102, Bihar, India.
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8
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Wang H, Helin K. Roles of H3K4 methylation in biology and disease. Trends Cell Biol 2024:S0962-8924(24)00115-6. [PMID: 38909006 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, including posttranslational modifications of histones, are closely linked to transcriptional regulation. Trimethylated H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) is one of the most studied histone modifications owing to its enrichment at the start sites of transcription and its association with gene expression and processes determining cell fate, development, and disease. In this review, we focus on recent studies that have yielded insights into how levels and patterns of H3K4me3 are regulated, how H3K4me3 contributes to the regulation of specific phases of transcription such as RNA polymerase II initiation, pause-release, heterogeneity, and consistency. The conclusion from these studies is that H3K4me3 by itself regulates gene expression and its precise regulation is essential for normal development and preventing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wang
- Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
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9
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Kealy L, Runting J, Thiele D, Scheer S. An emerging maestro of immune regulation: how DOT1L orchestrates the harmonies of the immune system. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1385319. [PMID: 38962004 PMCID: PMC11219580 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1385319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune system comprises a complex yet tightly regulated network of cells and molecules that play a critical role in protecting the body from infection and disease. The activity and development of each immune cell is regulated in a myriad of ways including through the cytokine milieu, the availability of key receptors, via tailored intracellular signalling cascades, dedicated transcription factors and even by directly modulating gene accessibility and expression; the latter is more commonly known as epigenetic regulation. In recent years, epigenetic regulators have begun to emerge as key players involved in modulating the immune system. Among these, the lysine methyltransferase DOT1L has gained significant attention for its involvement in orchestrating immune cell formation and function. In this review we provide an overview of the role of DOT1L across the immune system and the implications of this role on health and disease. We begin by elucidating the general mechanisms of DOT1L-mediated histone methylation and its impact on gene expression within immune cells. Subsequently, we provide a detailed and comprehensive overview of recent studies that identify DOT1L as a crucial regulator of immune cell development, differentiation, and activation. Next, we discuss the potential mechanisms of DOT1L-mediated regulation of immune cell function and shed light on how DOT1L might be contributing to immune cell homeostasis and dysfunction. We then provide food for thought by highlighting some of the current obstacles and technical limitations precluding a more in-depth elucidation of DOT1L's role. Finally, we explore the potential therapeutic implications of targeting DOT1L in the context of immune-related diseases and discuss ongoing research efforts to this end. Overall, this review consolidates the current paradigm regarding DOT1L's role across the immune network and emphasises its critical role in governing the healthy immune system and its potential as a novel therapeutic target for immune-related diseases. A deeper understanding of DOT1L's immunomodulatory functions could pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches which fine-tune the immune response to enhance or restore human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Kealy
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jessica Runting
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel Thiele
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sebastian Scheer
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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10
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Mayeux F, Buisine N, Fayol O, Uguen P. Transcriptional activation of candidate paused genes after partial hepatectomy. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001160. [PMID: 38919542 PMCID: PMC11196992 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Partial hepatectomy is a model of acute liver injury that is known to induce a strong reprogrammation of gene expression. Transcriptional induction of Immediate Early Genes is extremely fast and this would be due to the release of RNA Polymerase II poised for elongation at 'paused' genes. Using bioinformatic analysis, we identified 23 genes sharing features of paused genes before hepatectomy, and with predicted quick and strong expression induction after. This transcriptional dynamic, confirmed by RT-qPCR for Jun , Fos , Btg2, is very precocious. RNA Pol II CTD Ser2 hyperphosphorylation indicates a switch to productive elongation and release from transcriptional pause.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Buisine
- UMR CNRS 7221, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
| | | | - Patricia Uguen
- UMR-S1174, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- UMR 3348, INSERM U1278, Institut Curie, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
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11
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Jin L, Zhang S, Song Z, Heng X, Chen SJ. Kinetic pathway of HIV-1 TAR cotranscriptional folding. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6066-6078. [PMID: 38738640 PMCID: PMC11162800 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The Trans-Activator Receptor (TAR) RNA, located at the 5'-end untranslated region (5' UTR) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), is pivotal in the virus's life cycle. As the initial functional domain, it folds during the transcription of viral mRNA. Although TAR's role in recruiting the Tat protein for trans-activation is established, the detailed kinetic mechanisms at play during early transcription, especially at points of temporary transcriptional pausing, remain elusive. Moreover, the precise physical processes of transcriptional pause and subsequent escape are not fully elucidated. This study focuses on the folding kinetics of TAR and the biological implications by integrating computer simulations of RNA folding during transcription with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy data. The findings reveal insights into the folding mechanism of a non-native intermediate that triggers transcriptional pause, along with different folding pathways leading to transcriptional pause and readthrough. The profiling of the cotranscriptional folding pathway and identification of kinetic structural intermediates reveal a novel mechanism for viral transcriptional regulation, which could pave the way for new antiviral drug designs targeting kinetic cotranscriptional folding pathways in viral RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jin
- Department of Physics and Institute of Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Sicheng Zhang
- Department of Physics and Institute of Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Zhenwei Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Xiao Heng
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Shi-Jie Chen
- Department of Physics and Institute of Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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12
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Gafurov A, Vinar T, Medvedev P, Brejova B. Efficient Analysis of Annotation Colocalization Accounting for Genomic Contexts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.22.568259. [PMID: 38045397 PMCID: PMC10690252 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
An annotation is a set of genomic intervals sharing a particular function or property. Examples include genes or their exons, evolutionarily conserved elements, and regions with a particular epigenetic state. A common task is to compare two annotations to determine if one is enriched or depleted in the regions covered by the other. We study the problem of assigning statistical significance to such a comparison based on a null model representing two random unrelated annotations. To incorporate more background information into such analyses,we propose a new null model based on a Markov chain which differentiates among several genomic contexts. These contexts can capture various confounding factors, such as GC content or assembly gaps. We then develop a new algorithm for estimating p-values by computing the exact expectation and variance of the test statistics and then estimating the p-value using a normal approximation. Compared to the previous algorithm by Gafurov et al., the new algorithm provides three advances: (1) the running time is improved from quadratic to linear or quasi-linear, (2) the algorithm can handle two different test statistics, and (3) the algorithm can handle both simple and context-dependent Markov chain null models. We demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of our algorithm on synthetic and real data sets, including the recent human telomere-to-telomere assembly. In particular, our algorithm computed p-values for 450 pairs of human genome annotations using 24 threads in under three hours. Moreover, the use of genomic contexts to correct for GC bias resulted in the reversal of some previously published findings.
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13
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Cordero J, Elsherbiny A, Wang Y, Jürgensen L, Constanty F, Günther S, Boerries M, Heineke J, Beisaw A, Leuschner F, Hassel D, Dobreva G. Leveraging chromatin state transitions for the identification of regulatory networks orchestrating heart regeneration. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4215-4233. [PMID: 38364861 PMCID: PMC11077086 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The limited regenerative capacity of the human heart contributes to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In contrast, zebrafish exhibit robust regenerative capacity, providing a powerful model for studying how to overcome intrinsic epigenetic barriers maintaining cardiac homeostasis and initiate regeneration. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the histone modifications H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac during various stages of zebrafish heart regeneration. We found a vast gain of repressive chromatin marks one day after myocardial injury, followed by the acquisition of active chromatin characteristics on day four and a transition to a repressive state on day 14, and identified distinct transcription factor ensembles associated with these events. The rapid transcriptional response involves the engagement of super-enhancers at genes implicated in extracellular matrix reorganization and TOR signaling, while H3K4me3 breadth highly correlates with transcriptional activity and dynamic changes at genes involved in proteolysis, cell cycle activity, and cell differentiation. Using loss- and gain-of-function approaches, we identified transcription factors in cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells influencing cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation or proliferation. Finally, we detected significant evolutionary conservation between regulatory regions that drive zebrafish and neonatal mouse heart regeneration, suggesting that reactivating transcriptional and epigenetic networks converging on these regulatory elements might unlock the regenerative potential of adult human hearts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Cordero
- Department of Cardiovascular Genomics and Epigenomics, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adel Elsherbiny
- Department of Cardiovascular Genomics and Epigenomics, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Yinuo Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Genomics and Epigenomics, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lonny Jürgensen
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Constanty
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Melanie Boerries
- Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner site Freiburg, a partnership between DKFZ and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, 69110 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joerg Heineke
- Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arica Beisaw
- Institute of Experimental Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Leuschner
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Hassel
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gergana Dobreva
- Department of Cardiovascular Genomics and Epigenomics, European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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14
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Lyu Y, Yang Y, Talwar V, Lu H, Chen C, Salman S, Wicks EE, Huang TYT, Drehmer D, Wang Y, Zuo Q, Datan E, Jackson W, Dordai D, Wang R, Semenza GL. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 recruits FACT and RNF20/40 to mediate histone ubiquitination and transcriptional activation of target genes. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113972. [PMID: 38517892 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcriptional activator that mediates cellular adaptation to decreased oxygen availability. HIF-1 recruits chromatin-modifying enzymes leading to changes in histone acetylation, citrullination, and methylation at target genes. Here, we demonstrate that hypoxia-inducible gene expression in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF7 and ER-negative SUM159 human breast cancer cells requires the histone H2A/H2B chaperone facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT) and the H2B ubiquitin ligase RING finger protein 20/40 (RNF20/40). Knockdown of FACT or RNF20/40 expression leads to decreased transcription initiation and elongation at HIF-1 target genes. Mechanistically, FACT and RNF20/40 are recruited to hypoxia response elements (HREs) by HIF-1 and stabilize binding of HIF-1 (and each other) at HREs. Hypoxia induces the monoubiquitination of histone H2B at lysine 120 at HIF-1 target genes in an HIF-1-dependent manner. Together, these findings delineate a cooperative molecular mechanism by which FACT and RNF20/40 stabilize multiprotein complex formation at HREs and mediate histone ubiquitination to facilitate HIF-1 transcriptional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Lyu
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yongkang Yang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Varen Talwar
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Haiquan Lu
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chelsey Chen
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shaima Salman
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Wicks
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Tina Yi-Ting Huang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daiana Drehmer
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Qiaozhu Zuo
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Emmanuel Datan
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Walter Jackson
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Dominic Dordai
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ru Wang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gregg L Semenza
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center and Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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15
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Silver BD, Willett CG, Maher KA, Wang D, Deal RB. Differences in transcription initiation directionality underlie distinctions between plants and animals in chromatin modification patterns at genes and cis-regulatory elements. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae016. [PMID: 38253712 PMCID: PMC10917500 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptional initiation is among the first regulated steps controlling eukaryotic gene expression. High-throughput profiling of fungal and animal genomes has revealed that RNA Polymerase II often initiates transcription in both directions at the promoter transcription start site, but generally only elongates productively into the gene body. Additionally, Pol II can initiate transcription in both directions at cis-regulatory elements such as enhancers. These bidirectional RNA Polymerase II initiation events can be observed directly with methods that capture nascent transcripts, and they are also revealed indirectly by the presence of transcription-associated histone modifications on both sides of the transcription start site or cis-regulatory elements. Previous studies have shown that nascent RNAs and transcription-associated histone modifications in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana accumulate mainly in the gene body, suggesting that transcription does not initiate widely in the upstream direction from genes in this plant. We compared transcription-associated histone modifications and nascent transcripts at both transcription start sites and cis-regulatory elements in A. thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. Our results provide evidence for mostly unidirectional RNA Polymerase II initiation at both promoters and gene-proximal cis-regulatory elements of A. thaliana, whereas bidirectional transcription initiation is observed widely at promoters in both D. melanogaster and H. sapiens, as well as cis-regulatory elements in Drosophila. Furthermore, the distribution of transcription-associated histone modifications around transcription start sites in the Oryza sativa (rice) and Glycine max (soybean) genomes suggests that unidirectional transcription initiation is the norm in these genomes as well. These results suggest that there are fundamental differences in transcriptional initiation directionality between flowering plant and metazoan genomes, which are manifested as distinct patterns of chromatin modifications around RNA polymerase initiation sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna D Silver
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Courtney G Willett
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Kelsey A Maher
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dongxue Wang
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Roger B Deal
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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16
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Lee BK, Salamah J, Cheeran E, Adu-Gyamfi EA. Dynamic and distinct histone modifications facilitate human trophoblast lineage differentiation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4505. [PMID: 38402275 PMCID: PMC10894295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55189-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The placenta serves as an essential organ for fetal growth throughout pregnancy. Histone modification is a crucial regulatory mechanism involved in numerous biological processes and development. Nevertheless, there remains a significant gap in our understanding regarding the epigenetic regulations that influence trophoblast lineage differentiation, a fundamental aspect of placental development. Here, through comprehensive mapping of H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K9me3, and H3K27ac loci during the differentiation of trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) into syncytiotrophoblasts (STs) and extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs), we reveal dynamic reconfiguration in H3K4me3 and H3K27ac patterns that establish an epigenetic landscape conducive to proper trophoblast lineage differentiation. We observe that broad H3K4me3 domains are associated with trophoblast lineage-specific gene expression. Unlike embryonic stem cells, TSCs lack robust bivalent domains. Notably, the repression of ST- and EVT-active genes in TSCs is primarily attributed to the weak H3K4me3 signal rather than bivalent domains. We also unveil the inactivation of TSC enhancers precedes the activation of ST enhancers during ST formation. Our results provide a comprehensive global map of diverse histone modifications, elucidating the dynamic histone modifications during trophoblast lineage differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bum-Kyu Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
| | - Joudi Salamah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - Elisha Cheeran
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - Enoch Appiah Adu-Gyamfi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
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17
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Chen X, Xu Y. Interplay between the transcription preinitiation complex and the +1 nucleosome. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:145-155. [PMID: 38218671 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic transcription starts with the assembly of a preinitiation complex (PIC) on core promoters. Flanking this region is the +1 nucleosome, the first nucleosome downstream of the core promoter. While this nucleosome is rich in epigenetic marks and plays a key role in transcription regulation, how the +1 nucleosome interacts with the transcription machinery has been a long-standing question. Here, we summarize recent structural and functional studies of the +1 nucleosome in complex with the PIC. We specifically focus on how differently organized promoter-nucleosome templates affect the assembly of the PIC and PIC-Mediator on chromatin and result in distinct transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizi Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanhui Xu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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18
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Xueqing X, Yongcan P, Wei L, Qingling Y, Jie D. Regulation of T cells in the tumor microenvironment by histone methylation: LSD1 inhibition-a new direction for enhancing immunotherapy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24457. [PMID: 38312620 PMCID: PMC10835161 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has been shown to achieve durable therapeutic responses in various types of tumors, only 20-40 % of patients benefit from this therapy. A growing body of research suggests that epigenetic modulation of the tumor microenvironment may be a promising direction for enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy, for example, histone methylation plays an important role in the regulation of T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In particular, histone lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A), as an important histone-modifying enzyme in epigenetics, was found to be an important factor in the regulation of T cells. Therefore, this paper will summarize the effects of histone methylation, especially LSD1, on T cells in the TME to enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. To provide a strong theoretical basis for the strategy of combining LSD1 inhibitors with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, thus adding new possibilities to improve the survival of tumor patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xie Xueqing
- Guizhou University Medical College, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou Province, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immunological Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Peng Yongcan
- Department of Oncology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, China
| | - Lu Wei
- Graduate School of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563000, China
| | - Yin Qingling
- Guizhou University Medical College, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou Province, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immunological Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Ding Jie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, Guizhou Province, China
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19
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Kaye EG, Basavaraju K, Nelson GM, Zomer HD, Roy D, Joseph II, Rajabi-Toustani R, Qiao H, Adelman K, Reddi PP. RNA polymerase II pausing is essential during spermatogenesis for appropriate gene expression and completion of meiosis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:848. [PMID: 38287033 PMCID: PMC10824759 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45177-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Male germ cell development requires precise regulation of gene activity in a cell-type and stage-specific manner, with perturbations in gene expression during spermatogenesis associated with infertility. Here, we use steady-state, nascent and single-cell RNA sequencing strategies to comprehensively characterize gene expression across male germ cell populations, to dissect the mechanisms of gene control and provide new insights towards therapy. We discover a requirement for pausing of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) at the earliest stages of sperm differentiation to establish the landscape of gene activity across development. Accordingly, genetic knockout of the Pol II pause-inducing factor NELF in immature germ cells blocks differentiation to spermatids. Further, we uncover unanticipated roles for Pol II pausing in the regulation of meiosis during spermatogenesis, with the presence of paused Pol II associated with double-strand break (DSB) formation, and disruption of meiotic gene expression and DSB repair in germ cells lacking NELF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Kaye
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kavyashree Basavaraju
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Nelson
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Helena D Zomer
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Debarun Roy
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Irene Infancy Joseph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Reza Rajabi-Toustani
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Prabhakara P Reddi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA.
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20
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Terzi Cizmecioglu N. Roles and Regulation of H3K4 Methylation During Mammalian Early Embryogenesis and Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38231346 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2023_794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
From generation of germ cells, fertilization, and throughout early mammalian embryonic development, the chromatin undergoes significant alterations to enable precise regulation of gene expression and genome use. Methylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) correlates with active regions of the genome, and it has emerged as a dynamic mark throughout this timeline. The pattern and the level of H3K4 methylation are regulated by methyltransferases and demethylases. These enzymes, as well as their protein partners, play important roles in early embryonic development and show phenotypes in embryonic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. The various roles of H3K4 methylation are interpreted by dedicated chromatin reader proteins, linking this modification to broader molecular and cellular phenotypes. In this review, we discuss the regulation of different levels of H3K4 methylation, their distinct accumulation pattern, and downstream molecular roles with an early embryogenesis perspective.
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21
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Chilton PM, Ghare SS, Charpentier BT, Myers SA, Rao AV, Petrosino JF, Hoffman KL, Greenwell JC, Tyagi N, Behera J, Wang Y, Sloan LJ, Zhang J, Shields CB, Cooper GE, Gobejishvili L, Whittemore SR, McClain CJ, Barve SS. Age-associated temporal decline in butyrate-producing bacteria plays a key pathogenic role in the onset and progression of neuropathology and memory deficits in 3×Tg-AD mice. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2389319. [PMID: 39182227 PMCID: PMC11346541 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2389319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the gut-microbiome-brain axis are increasingly being recognized to be involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, the functional consequences of enteric dysbiosis linking gut microbiota and brain pathology in AD progression remain largely undetermined. The present work investigated the causal role of age-associated temporal decline in butyrate-producing bacteria and butyrate in the etiopathogenesis of AD. Longitudinal metagenomics, neuropathological, and memory analyses were performed in the 3×Tg-AD mouse model. Metataxonomic analyses showed a significant temporal decline in the alpha diversity marked by a decrease in butyrate-producing bacterial communities and a concurrent reduction in cecal butyrate production. Inferred metagenomics analysis identified the bacterial acetyl-CoA pathway as the main butyrate synthesis pathway impacted. Concomitantly, there was an age-associated decline in the transcriptionally permissive acetylation of histone 3 at lysines 9 and 14 (H3K9/K14-Ac) in hippocampal neurons. Importantly, these microbiome-gut-brain changes preceded AD-related neuropathology, including oxidative stress, tau hyperphosphorylation, memory deficits, and neuromuscular dysfunction, which manifest by 17-18 months. Initiation of oral administration of tributyrin, a butyrate prodrug, at 6 months of age mitigated the age-related decline in butyrate-producing bacteria, protected the H3K9/K14-Ac status, and attenuated the development of neuropathological and cognitive changes associated with AD pathogenesis. These data causally implicate age-associated decline in butyrate-producing bacteria as a key pathogenic feature of the microbiome-gut-brain axis affecting the onset and progression of AD. Importantly, the regulation of butyrate-producing bacteria and consequent butyrate synthesis could be a significant therapeutic strategy in the prevention and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M. Chilton
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, 4915 Norton Healthcare Blvd, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Smita S. Ghare
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, 4915 Norton Healthcare Blvd, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Hepatobiology COBRE, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Benjamin T. Charpentier
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Scott A. Myers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Aakarsha V. Rao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Joseph F. Petrosino
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kristi L. Hoffman
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John C. Greenwell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Neetu Tyagi
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Jyotirmaya Behera
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Lucy J. Sloan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - JingWen Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Christopher B. Shields
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, 4915 Norton Healthcare Blvd, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Gregory E. Cooper
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, 4915 Norton Healthcare Blvd, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Leila Gobejishvili
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Hepatobiology COBRE, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Scott R. Whittemore
- Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Craig J. McClain
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Hepatobiology COBRE, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Robley Rex VA Medical Center, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Shirish S. Barve
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, 4915 Norton Healthcare Blvd, Louisville, KY, USA
- UofL Hepatobiology COBRE, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
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22
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Haga E, Inoue N, Iwatani Y, Arakawa Y, Morita E, Hashimoto H, Noguchi Y, Hidaka Y, Watanabe M. Intraindividual variation in histone acetylation and its impact on autoimmune thyroid diseases. Endocr J 2023; 70:1169-1174. [PMID: 37779085 DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.ej23-0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), such as Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's disease (HD), are organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Histone acetylation, especially that of histone H3, is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression and is associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. However, physiological variations in histone acetylation are not yet clear, and we believe that physiological variations should be examined prior to analysis of the role of histone H3 in the pathogenesis of AITDs. In this study, we analyzed histone H3 acetylation levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a histone H3 total acetylation detection fast kit. Blood samples were collected before meals, between 8:30-9:00 am, daily for 10 weeks to evaluate the daily variation. At 4 days, blood was also collected before meals three times a day (at 8:30-9:00, 12:30-13:00, and 16:30-17:00) to evaluate circadian variation. Then, histone H3 acetylation levels were evaluated in AITD patients to clarify the association with the pathogenesis of AITD. Although we could not find a common pattern of circadian variance, we observed daily variation in histone H3 acetylation levels, and their coefficient of variances (CVs) were approximately 48.3%. Then, we found that histone H3 acetylation levels were significantly lower in GD and HD patients than in control subjects and these differences were larger than the daily variation in histone acetylation. In conclusion, histone H3 acetylation levels were associated with the development of AITD, even allowing for daily variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emi Haga
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Naoya Inoue
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory for Clinical Investigation, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Iwatani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuya Arakawa
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Emi Morita
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hidemi Hashimoto
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yusuke Noguchi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoh Hidaka
- Laboratory for Clinical Investigation, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mikio Watanabe
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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23
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Flint J, Heffel MG, Chen Z, Mefford J, Marcus E, Chen PB, Ernst J, Luo C. Single-cell methylation analysis of brain tissue prioritizes mutations that alter transcription. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100454. [PMID: 38116123 PMCID: PMC10726494 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Relating genetic variants to behavior remains a fundamental challenge. To assess the utility of DNA methylation marks in discovering causative variants, we examined their relationship to genetic variation by generating single-nucleus methylomes from the hippocampus of eight inbred mouse strains. At CpG sequence densities under 40 CpG/Kb, cells compensate for loss of methylated sites by methylating additional sites to maintain methylation levels. At higher CpG sequence densities, the exact location of a methylated site becomes more important, suggesting that variants affecting methylation will have a greater effect when occurring in higher CpG densities than in lower. We found this to be true for a variant's effect on transcript abundance, indicating that candidate variants can be prioritized based on CpG sequence density. Our findings imply that DNA methylation influences the likelihood that mutations occur at specific sites in the genome, supporting the view that the distribution of mutations is not random.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Flint
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Matthew G Heffel
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zeyuan Chen
- Department of Computer Science, Samueli School of Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel Mefford
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emilie Marcus
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Patrick B Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason Ernst
- Department of Computer Science, Samueli School of Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chongyuan Luo
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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24
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Zhao Y, Liu L, Hassett R, Siepel A. Model-based characterization of the equilibrium dynamics of transcription initiation and promoter-proximal pausing in human cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e106. [PMID: 37889042 PMCID: PMC10681744 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In metazoans, both transcription initiation and the escape of RNA polymerase (RNAP) from promoter-proximal pausing are key rate-limiting steps in gene expression. These processes play out at physically proximal sites on the DNA template and appear to influence one another through steric interactions. Here, we examine the dynamics of these processes using a combination of statistical modeling, simulation, and analysis of real nascent RNA sequencing data. We develop a simple probabilistic model that jointly describes the kinetics of transcription initiation, pause-escape, and elongation, and the generation of nascent RNA sequencing read counts under steady-state conditions. We then extend this initial model to allow for variability across cells in promoter-proximal pause site locations and steric hindrance of transcription initiation from paused RNAPs. In an extensive series of simulations, we show that this model enables accurate estimation of initiation and pause-escape rates. Furthermore, we show by simulation and analysis of real data that pause-escape is often strongly rate-limiting and that steric hindrance can dramatically reduce initiation rates. Our modeling framework is applicable to a variety of inference problems, and our software for estimation and simulation is freely available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Zhao
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Lingjie Liu
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca Hassett
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Adam Siepel
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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25
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El Hayek L, DeVries D, Gogate A, Aiken A, Kaur K, Chahrour MH. Disruption of the autism gene and chromatin regulator KDM5A alters hippocampal cell identity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi0074. [PMID: 37992166 PMCID: PMC10664992 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi0074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin regulation plays a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining cellular identity and is one of the top pathways disrupted in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The hippocampus, composed of distinct cell types, is often affected in patients with ASD. However, the specific hippocampal cell types and their transcriptional programs that are dysregulated in ASD are unknown. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we show that the ASD gene, lysine demethylase 5A (KDM5A), regulates the development of specific subtypes of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We found that KDM5A is essential for establishing hippocampal cell identity by controlling a differentiation switch early in development. Our findings define a role for the chromatin regulator KDM5A in establishing hippocampal cell identity and contribute to the emerging convergent mechanisms across ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauretta El Hayek
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Darlene DeVries
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ashlesha Gogate
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ariel Aiken
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kiran Kaur
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Maria H. Chahrour
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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26
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Yoo SS, Lee S, Choi JE, Hong MJ, Do SK, Lee JH, Lee WK, Park JE, Lee YH, Choi SH, Seo H, Lee J, Lee SY, Cha SI, Kim CH, Kang HG, Park JY. Promoter-Specific Variants in NeuroD1 and H3K4me3 Coincident Regions and Clinical Outcomes of Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Korean Med Sci 2023; 38:e381. [PMID: 37987107 PMCID: PMC10659920 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurogenic differentiation 1 (NeuroD1) is a representative small cell lung cancer (SCLC) transcription regulator involved in the carcinogenesis and behavior of SCLC. Histone modifications play an important role in transcription, and H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) is primarily associated with promoter regions. METHODS We investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NeuroD1 and H3K4me3 coincident regions, selected using ChIP sequencing (ChIP-seq), and the clinical outcomes of 261 patients with SCLC. RESULTS Among 230 SNPs, two were significantly associated with both the chemotherapy response and overall survival (OS) of patients with SCLC. RNF145 rs2043268A>G was associated with worse chemotherapy response and OS (under a recessive model, adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.94, P = 0.031, and adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.88, 95% CI, 1.38-2.57, P < 0.001). CINP rs762105A>G was also associated with worse chemotherapy response and OS (under a dominant model, aOR, 0.47, 95% CI, 0.23-0.99, P = 0.046, and aHR, 2.03, 95% CI, 1.47-2.82, P < 0.001). ChIP-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and luciferase assay confirmed that the two SNPs were located in the active promoter regions and influenced the promoter activity of each gene. CONCLUSION To summarize, among SNPs selected using ChIP-seq in promoter regions with high peaks in both NeuroD1 and H3K4me3, RNF145 rs2043268A>G and CINP rs762105A>G were associated with clinical outcomes in patients with SCLC and also affected the promoter activity of each gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Soo Yoo
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sunwoong Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jin Eun Choi
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Mi Jeong Hong
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sook Kyung Do
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jang Hyuck Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Won Kee Lee
- Medical Research Collaboration Center in Kyungpook National University Hospital and School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Ji Eun Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Yong Hoon Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sun Ha Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Hyewon Seo
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jaehee Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Shin Yup Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Seung Ick Cha
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Chang Ho Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Hyo-Gyoung Kang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
| | - Jae Yong Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
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27
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Milevskiy MJ, Coughlan HD, Kane SR, Johanson TM, Kordafshari S, Chan WF, Tsai M, Surgenor E, Wilcox S, Allan RS, Chen Y, Lindeman GJ, Smyth GK, Visvader JE. Three-dimensional genome architecture coordinates key regulators of lineage specification in mammary epithelial cells. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100424. [PMID: 38020976 PMCID: PMC10667557 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Although lineage-specific genes have been identified in the mammary gland, little is known about the contribution of the 3D genome organization to gene regulation in the epithelium. Here, we describe the chromatin landscape of the three major epithelial subsets through integration of long- and short-range chromatin interactions, accessibility, histone modifications, and gene expression. While basal genes display exquisite lineage specificity via distal enhancers, luminal-specific genes show widespread promoter priming in basal cells. Cell specificity in luminal progenitors is largely mediated through extensive chromatin interactions with super-enhancers in gene-body regions in addition to interactions with polycomb silencer elements. Moreover, lineage-specific transcription factors appear to be controlled through cell-specific chromatin interactivity. Finally, chromatin accessibility rather than interactivity emerged as a defining feature of the activation of quiescent basal stem cells. This work provides a comprehensive resource for understanding the role of higher-order chromatin interactions in cell-fate specification and differentiation in the adult mouse mammary gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J.G. Milevskiy
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Hannah D. Coughlan
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Serena R. Kane
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Timothy M. Johanson
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Somayeh Kordafshari
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Wing Fuk Chan
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Minhsuang Tsai
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Elliot Surgenor
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Stephen Wilcox
- Advanced Technology and Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Rhys S. Allan
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Yunshun Chen
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J. Lindeman
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Parkville Familial Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
| | - Gordon K. Smyth
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jane E. Visvader
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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28
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Silver BD, Willett CG, Maher KA, Wang D, Deal RB. Differences in transcription initiation directionality underlie distinctions between plants and animals in chromatin modification patterns at genes and cis-regulatory elements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.03.565513. [PMID: 37961418 PMCID: PMC10635121 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional initiation is among the first regulated steps controlling eukaryotic gene expression. High-throughput profiling of fungal and animal genomes has revealed that RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) often initiates transcription in both directions at the promoter transcription start site (TSS), but generally only elongates productively into the gene body. Additionally, Pol II can initiate transcription in both directions at cis-regulatory elements (CREs) such as enhancers. These bidirectional Pol II initiation events can be observed directly with methods that capture nascent transcripts, and they are also revealed indirectly by the presence of transcription-associated histone modifications on both sides of the TSS or CRE. Previous studies have shown that nascent RNAs and transcription-associated histone modifications in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana accumulate mainly in the gene body, suggesting that transcription does not initiate widely in the upstream direction from genes in this plant. We compared transcription-associated histone modifications and nascent transcripts at both TSSs and CREs in Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. Our results provide evidence for mostly unidirectional Pol II initiation at both promoters and gene-proximal CREs of Arabidopsis thaliana, whereas bidirectional transcription initiation is observed widely at promoters in both Drosophila melanogaster and Homo sapiens, as well as CREs in Drosophila. Furthermore, the distribution of transcription-associated histone modifications around TSSs in the Oryza sativa (rice) and Glycine max (soybean) genomes suggests that unidirectional transcription initiation is the norm in these genomes as well. These results suggest that there are fundamental differences in transcriptional initiation directionality between flowering plant and metazoan genomes, which are manifested as distinct patterns of chromatin modifications around RNA polymerase initiation sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna D. Silver
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Courtney G. Willett
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Kelsey A. Maher
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Dongxue Wang
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Roger B. Deal
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
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29
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Miao Q, Wang Z, Yin Z, Liu X, Li R, Zhang KQ, Li J. Nematode-induced trap formation regulated by the histone H3K4 methyltransferase AoSET1 in the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:2663-2679. [PMID: 37233873 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2300-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The methylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4), catalyzed by the histone methyltransferase KMT2/SET1, has been functionally identified in many pathogenic fungi but remains unexplored in nematode-trapping fungi (NTFs). Here, we report a regulatory mechanism of an H3K4-specific SET1 orthologue, AoSET1, in the typical nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. When the fungus is induced by the nematode, the expression of AoSET1 is up-regulated. Disruption of AoSet1 led to the abolishment of H3K4me. Consequently, the yield of traps and conidia of ΔAoSet1 was significantly lower than that of the WT strain, and the growth rate and pathogenicity were also compromised. Moreover, H3K4 trimethylation was enriched mainly in the promoter of two bZip transcription factor genes (AobZip129 and AobZip350) and ultimately up-regulated the expression level of these two transcription factor genes. In the ΔAoSet1 and AoH3K4A strains, the H3K4me modification level was significantly decreased at the promoter of transcription factor genes AobZip129 and AobZip350. These results suggest that AoSET1-mediated H3KEme serves as an epigenetic marker of the promoter region of the targeted transcription factor genes. Furthermore, we found that AobZip129 negatively regulates the formation of adhesive networks and the pathogenicity of downstream AoPABP1 and AoCPR1. Our findings confirm that the epigenetic regulatory mechanism plays a pivotal role in regulating trap formation and pathogenesis in NTFs, and provide novel insights into the mechanisms of interaction between NTFs and nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Miao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Zhengqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Ziyu Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Xiaoying Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Ran Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Ke-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Juan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
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30
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Sanghrajka RM, Koche R, Medrano H, El Nagar S, Stephen DN, Lao Z, Bayin NS, Ge K, Joyner AL. KMT2D suppresses Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma progression and metastasis. iScience 2023; 26:107831. [PMID: 37822508 PMCID: PMC10562805 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The major cause of treatment failure and mortality among medulloblastoma patients is metastasis intracranially or along the spinal cord. The molecular mechanisms driving tumor metastasis in Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) patients, however, remain largely unknown. In this study we define a tumor suppressive role of KMT2D (MLL2), a gene frequently mutated in the most metastatic β-subtype. Strikingly, genetic mouse models of SHH-MB demonstrate that heterozygous loss of Kmt2d in conjunction with activation of the SHH pathway causes highly penetrant disease with decreased survival, increased hindbrain invasion and spinal cord metastasis. Loss of Kmt2d attenuates neural differentiation and shifts the transcriptional/chromatin landscape of primary and metastatic tumors toward a decrease in differentiation genes and tumor suppressors and an increase in genes/pathways implicated in advanced stage cancer and metastasis (TGFβ, Notch, Atoh1, Sox2, and Myc). Thus, secondary heterozygous KMT2D mutations likely have prognostic value for identifying SHH-MB patients prone to develop metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reeti Mayur Sanghrajka
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard Koche
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hector Medrano
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salsabiel El Nagar
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel N. Stephen
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhimin Lao
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - N. Sumru Bayin
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kai Ge
- Adipocyte Biology and Gene Regulation Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexandra L. Joyner
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
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31
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Cao Y, Qin Y, Zhang W, Tian W, Ren Y, Ren J, Wang J, Wang M, Jiang J, Wang Z. Structural basis of the human negative elongation factor NELF-B/C/E ternary complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 677:155-161. [PMID: 37591184 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Negative elongation factor (NELF) is a four-subunit transcription elongation factor that mainly functions in maintaining the paused state of RNA polymerase II in eukaryotes. Upon binding to Pol II, NELF works synergistically with DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) and inhibits transcription elongation of Pol II, which subsequently retains a stably paused state 20-60 base pairs downstream of the promoter. The promoter-proximal pausing of Pol II caused by NELF is a general mechanism of transcriptional regulation for most signal-responsive genes. To date, structural studies have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of NELF. However, a high quality structural model clarifying the interaction details of this complex is still lacking. In this study, we solved the high resolution crystal structure of the NELF-B/C/E ternary complex. We observed detailed interactions between subunits and identified residues important for the association between NELF-B and NELF-E. Our work presents a precise model of the NELF complex, which will facilitate our understanding of its in vivo function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yan Qin
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Weidi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yanpeng Ren
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiahao Ren
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Junmeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Junyi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Zhanxin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China.
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32
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Ramalingam V, Yu X, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Brennan KJ, Onyshchenko A, Lange JJ, Natarajan M, Buck M, Zeitlinger J. Lola-I is a promoter pioneer factor that establishes de novo Pol II pausing during development. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5862. [PMID: 37735176 PMCID: PMC10514308 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41408-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
While the accessibility of enhancers is dynamically regulated during development, promoters tend to be constitutively accessible and poised for activation by paused Pol II. By studying Lola-I, a Drosophila zinc finger transcription factor, we show here that the promoter state can also be subject to developmental regulation independently of gene activation. Lola-I is ubiquitously expressed at the end of embryogenesis and causes its target promoters to become accessible and acquire paused Pol II throughout the embryo. This promoter transition is required but not sufficient for tissue-specific target gene activation. Lola-I mediates this function by depleting promoter nucleosomes, similar to the action of pioneer factors at enhancers. These results uncover a level of regulation for promoters that is normally found at enhancers and reveal a mechanism for the de novo establishment of paused Pol II at promoters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivekanandan Ramalingam
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center----, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Xinyang Yu
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | - Jay R Unruh
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Jeffrey J Lange
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | - Michael Buck
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Julia Zeitlinger
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center----, Kansas City, KS, USA.
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33
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Longo M, Zatterale F, Spinelli R, Naderi J, Parrillo L, Florese P, Nigro C, Leone A, Moccia A, Desiderio A, Raciti GA, Miele C, Smith U, Beguinot F. Altered H3K4me3 profile at the TFAM promoter causes mitochondrial alterations in preadipocytes from first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetics. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:144. [PMID: 37679776 PMCID: PMC10486065 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01556-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND First-degree relatives of type 2 diabetics (FDR) exhibit a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and feature subcutaneous adipocyte hypertrophy, independent of obesity. In FDR, adipose cell abnormalities contribute to early insulin-resistance and are determined by adipocyte precursor cells (APCs) early senescence and impaired recruitment into the adipogenic pathway. Epigenetic mechanisms signal adipocyte differentiation, leading us to hypothesize that abnormal epigenetic modifications cause adipocyte dysfunction and enhance T2D risk. To test this hypothesis, we examined the genome-wide histone profile in APCs from the subcutaneous adipose tissue of healthy FDR. RESULTS Sequencing-data analysis revealed 2644 regions differentially enriched in lysine 4 tri-methylated H3-histone (H3K4me3) in FDR compared to controls (CTRL) with significant enrichment in mitochondrial-related genes. These included TFAM, which regulates mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and stability. In FDR APCs, a significant reduction in H3K4me3 abundance at the TFAM promoter was accompanied by a reduction in TFAM mRNA and protein levels. FDR APCs also exhibited reduced mtDNA content and mitochondrial-genome transcription. In parallel, FDR APCs exhibited impaired differentiation and TFAM induction during adipogenesis. In CTRL APCs, TFAM-siRNA reduced mtDNA content, mitochondrial transcription and adipocyte differentiation in parallel with upregulation of the CDKN1A and ZMAT3 senescence genes. Furthermore, TFAM-siRNA significantly expanded hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced senescence, while H2O2 did not affect TFAM expression. CONCLUSIONS Histone modifications regulate APCs ability to differentiate in mature cells, at least in part by modulating TFAM expression and affecting mitochondrial function. Reduced H3K4me3 enrichment at the TFAM promoter renders human APCs senescent and dysfunctional, increasing T2D risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Longo
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Zatterale
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Spinelli
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Jamal Naderi
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Luca Parrillo
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasqualina Florese
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Cecilia Nigro
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessia Leone
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Augusta Moccia
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Desiderio
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Gregory A Raciti
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
| | - Claudia Miele
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Ulf Smith
- Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Francesco Beguinot
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
- URT Genomics of Diabetes, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
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34
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Dollinger R, Deng EB, Schultz J, Wu S, Deorio HR, Gilmour DS. Assessment of the roles of Spt5-nucleic acid contacts in promoter proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105106. [PMID: 37517697 PMCID: PMC10482750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Promoter proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a critical transcriptional regulatory mechanism in metazoans that requires the transcription factor DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) and the inhibitory negative elongation factor (NELF). DSIF, composed of Spt4 and Spt5, establishes the pause by recruiting NELF to the elongation complex. However, the role of DSIF in pausing beyond NELF recruitment remains unclear. We used a highly purified in vitro system and Drosophila nuclear extract to investigate the role of DSIF in promoter proximal pausing. We identified two domains of Spt5, the KOW4 and NGN domains, that facilitate Pol II pausing. The KOW4 domain promotes pausing through its interaction with the nascent RNA while the NGN domain does so through a short helical motif that is in close proximity to the non-transcribed DNA template strand. Removal of this sequence in Drosophila has a male-specific dominant negative effect. The alpha-helical motif is also needed to support fly viability. We also show that the interaction between the Spt5 KOW1 domain and the upstream DNA helix is required for DSIF association with the Pol II elongation complex. Disruption of the KOW1-DNA interaction is dominant lethal in vivo. Finally, we show that the KOW2-3 domain of Spt5 mediates the recruitment of NELF to the elongation complex. In summary, our results reveal additional roles for DSIF in transcription regulation and identify specific domains important for facilitating Pol II pausing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Dollinger
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eilene B Deng
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Josie Schultz
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sharon Wu
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Haley R Deorio
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David S Gilmour
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
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35
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Qiu X, Liang G, Zhou W, Sen R, Atchison ML. Multiple lineage-specific epigenetic landscapes at the antigen receptor loci. AGING RESEARCH (HONG KONG, CHINA) 2023; 1:9340010. [PMID: 38770228 PMCID: PMC11103674 DOI: 10.26599/agr.2023.9340010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Antigen receptors (AgRs) expressed on B and T cells provide the adaptive immune system with ability to detect numerous foreign antigens. Epigenetic features of B cell receptor (BCR) and T cell receptor (TCR) genes were previously studied in lymphocytes, but little is known about their epigenetic features in other cells. Here, we explored histone modifications and transcription markers at the BCR and TCR loci in lymphocytes (pro-B, DP T cells, and mature CD4+ T cells), compared to embryonic stem (ES) cells and neurons. In B cells, the BCR loci exhibited active histone modifications and transcriptional markers indicative of active loci. Similar results were observed at the TCR loci in T cells. All loci were largely inactive in neurons. Surprisingly, in ES cells all AgR loci displayed a high degree of active histone modifications and markers of active transcription. Locations of these active histone modifications in ES cells were largely distinct from those in pro-B cells, and co-localized at numerous binding locations for transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog. ES and pro-B cells also showed distinct binding patterns for the ubiquitous transcription factor YY1 and chromatin remodeler Brg1. On the contrary, there were many overlapping CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binding patterns when comparing ES cells, pro-B cells, and neurons. Our study identifies epigenetic features in ES cells and lymphocytes that may be related to ES cell pluripotency and lymphocyte tissue-specific activation at the AgR loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA
| | - Guanxiang Liang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Weiqiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA
| | - Michael L. Atchison
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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36
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Wu Y, Tirichine L. Chromosome-Wide Distribution and Characterization of H3K36me3 and H3K27Ac in the Marine Model Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2852. [PMID: 37571007 PMCID: PMC10421102 DOI: 10.3390/plants12152852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Histone methylation and acetylation play a crucial role in response to developmental cues and environmental changes. Previously, we employed mass spectrometry to identify histone modifications such as H3K27ac and H3K36me3 in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, which have been shown to be important for transcriptional activation in animal and plant species. To further investigate their evolutionary implications, we utilized chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and explored their genome-wide distribution in P. tricornutum. Our study aimed to determine their role in transcriptional regulation of genes and transposable elements (TEs) and their co-occurrence with other histone marks. Our results revealed that H3K27ac and H3K36me3 were predominantly localized in promoters and genic regions indicating a high conservation pattern with studies of the same marks in plants and animals. Furthermore, we report the diversity of genes encoding H3 lysine 36 (H3K36) trimethylation-specific methyltransferase in microalgae leveraging diverse sequencing resources including the Marine Microbial Eukaryote Transcriptome Sequencing Project database (MMETSP). Our study expands the repertoire of epigenetic marks in a model microalga and provides valuable insights into the evolutionary context of epigenetic-mediated gene regulation. These findings shed light on the intricate interplay between histone modifications and gene expression in microalgae, contributing to our understanding of the broader epigenetic landscape in eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leila Tirichine
- Nantes Université, CNRS, US2B, UMR 6286, F-44000 Nantes, France;
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37
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Xu M, Lin L, Ram BM, Shriwas O, Chuang KH, Dai S, Su KH, Tang Z, Dai C. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) specifically potentiates c-MYC-mediated transcription independently of the canonical heat shock response. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112557. [PMID: 37224019 PMCID: PMC10592515 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite its pivotal roles in biology, how the transcriptional activity of c-MYC is tuned quantitatively remains poorly defined. Here, we show that heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), the master transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response, acts as a prime modifier of the c-MYC-mediated transcription. HSF1 deficiency diminishes c-MYC DNA binding and dampens its transcriptional activity genome wide. Mechanistically, c-MYC, MAX, and HSF1 assemble into a transcription factor complex on genomic DNAs, and surprisingly, the DNA binding of HSF1 is dispensable. Instead, HSF1 physically recruits the histone acetyltransferase general control nonderepressible 5 (GCN5), promoting histone acetylation and augmenting c-MYC transcriptional activity. Thus, we find that HSF1 specifically potentiates the c-MYC-mediated transcription, discrete from its canonical role in countering proteotoxic stress. Importantly, this mechanism of action engenders two distinct c-MYC activation states, primary and advanced, which may be important to accommodate diverse physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ling Lin
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Babul Moni Ram
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Omprakash Shriwas
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Kun-Han Chuang
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Siyuan Dai
- Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kuo-Hui Su
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Zijian Tang
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Chengkai Dai
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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38
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Dejosez M, Dall'Agnese A, Ramamoorthy M, Platt J, Yin X, Hogan M, Brosh R, Weintraub AS, Hnisz D, Abraham BJ, Young RA, Zwaka TP. Regulatory architecture of housekeeping genes is driven by promoter assemblies. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112505. [PMID: 37182209 PMCID: PMC10329844 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes that are key to cell identity are generally regulated by cell-type-specific enhancer elements bound by transcription factors, some of which facilitate looping to distant gene promoters. In contrast, genes that encode housekeeping functions, whose regulation is essential for normal cell metabolism and growth, generally lack interactions with distal enhancers. We find that Ronin (Thap11) assembles multiple promoters of housekeeping and metabolic genes to regulate gene expression. This behavior is analogous to how enhancers are brought together with promoters to regulate cell identity genes. Thus, Ronin-dependent promoter assemblies provide a mechanism to explain why housekeeping genes can forgo distal enhancer elements and why Ronin is important for cellular metabolism and growth control. We propose that clustering of regulatory elements is a mechanism common to cell identity and housekeeping genes but is accomplished by different factors binding distinct control elements to establish enhancer-promoter or promoter-promoter interactions, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Dejosez
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA
| | - Alessandra Dall'Agnese
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Mahesh Ramamoorthy
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA
| | - Jesse Platt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Xing Yin
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA
| | - Megan Hogan
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA
| | - Ran Brosh
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA
| | - Abraham S Weintraub
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Denes Hnisz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brian J Abraham
- St. Jude Research Children's Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Richard A Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Thomas P Zwaka
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Huffington Center for Cell-based Research in Parkinson's Disease, Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10502, USA.
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39
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Spencley AL, Bar S, Swigut T, Flynn RA, Lee CH, Chen LF, Bassik MC, Wysocka J. Co-transcriptional genome surveillance by HUSH is coupled to termination machinery. Mol Cell 2023; 83:1623-1639.e8. [PMID: 37164018 PMCID: PMC10915761 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The HUSH complex recognizes and silences foreign DNA such as viruses, transposons, and transgenes without prior exposure to its targets. Here, we show that endogenous targets of the HUSH complex fall into two distinct classes based on the presence or absence of H3K9me3. These classes are further distinguished by their transposon content and differential response to the loss of HUSH. A de novo genomic rearrangement at the Sox2 locus induces a switch from H3K9me3-independent to H3K9me3-associated HUSH targeting, resulting in silencing. We further demonstrate that HUSH interacts with the termination factor WDR82 and-via its component MPP8-with nascent RNA. HUSH accumulates at sites of high RNAPII occupancy including long exons and transcription termination sites in a manner dependent on WDR82 and CPSF. Together, our results uncover the functional diversity of HUSH targets and show that this vertebrate-specific complex exploits evolutionarily ancient transcription termination machinery for co-transcriptional chromatin targeting and genome surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Spencley
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shiran Bar
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tomek Swigut
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ryan A Flynn
- Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cameron H Lee
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Liang-Fu Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael C Bassik
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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40
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Monte-Serrano E, Morejón-García P, Campillo-Marcos I, Campos-Díaz A, Navarro-Carrasco E, Lazo PA. The pattern of histone H3 epigenetic posttranslational modifications is regulated by the VRK1 chromatin kinase. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:18. [PMID: 37179361 PMCID: PMC10182654 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00494-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic chromatin remodeling is associated with changes in the epigenetic pattern of histone acetylations and methylations required for processes based on dynamic chromatin remodeling and implicated in different nuclear functions. These histone epigenetic modifications need to be coordinated, a role that may be mediated by chromatin kinases such as VRK1, which phosphorylates histones H3 and H2A. METHODS The effect of VRK1 depletion and VRK1 inhibitor, VRK-IN-1, on the acetylation and methylation of histone H3 in K4, K9 and K27 was determined under different conditions, arrested or proliferating cells, in A549 lung adenocarcinoma and U2OS osteosarcoma cells. RESULTS Chromatin organization is determined by the phosphorylation pattern of histones mediated by different types of enzymes. We have studied how the VRK1 chromatin kinase can alter the epigenetic posttranslational modifications of histones by using siRNA, a specific inhibitor of this kinase (VRK-IN-1), and of histone acetyl and methyl transferases, as well as histone deacetylase and demethylase. Loss of VRK1 implicated a switch in the state of H3K9 posttranslational modifications. VRK1 depletion/inhibition causes a loss of H3K9 acetylation and facilitates its methylation. This effect is similar to that of the KAT inhibitor C646, and to KDM inhibitors as iadademstat (ORY-1001) or JMJD2 inhibitor. Alternatively, HDAC inhibitors (selisistat, panobinostat, vorinostat) and KMT inhibitors (tazemetostat, chaetocin) have the opposite effect of VRK1 depletion or inhibition, and cause increase of H3K9ac and a decrease of H3K9me3. VRK1 stably interacts with members of these four enzyme families. However, VRK1 can only play a role on these epigenetic modifications by indirect mechanisms in which these epigenetic enzymes are likely targets to be regulated and coordinated by VRK1. CONCLUSIONS The chromatin kinase VRK1 regulates the epigenetic patterns of histone H3 acetylation and methylation in lysines 4, 9 and 27. VRK1 is a master regulator of chromatin organization associated with its specific functions, such as transcription or DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Monte-Serrano
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Patricia Morejón-García
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ignacio Campillo-Marcos
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Aurora Campos-Díaz
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Elena Navarro-Carrasco
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Pedro A Lazo
- Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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41
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Kaye EG, Nelson GM, Zomer HD, Roy D, Joseph II, Adelman K, Reddi PP. RNA polymerase II pausing is essential during spermatogenesis for appropriate gene expression and completion of meiosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.08.539879. [PMID: 37215034 PMCID: PMC10197597 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.08.539879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Male germ cell development requires precise regulation of gene activity in a cell-type and stage-specific manner, with perturbations in gene expression during spermatogenesis associated with infertility. Here, we use steady-state, nascent and single-cell RNA sequencing strategies to comprehensively characterize gene expression across male germ cell populations, to dissect the mechanisms of gene control and provide new insights towards therapy. We discover a requirement for pausing of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) at the earliest stages of sperm differentiation to establish the landscape of gene activity across development. Accordingly, genetic knockout of the Pol II pause-inducing factor NELF in immature germ cells blocks differentiation to mature spermatids. Further, we uncover unanticipated roles for Pol II pausing in the regulation of meiosis during spermatogenesis, with the presence of paused Pol II associated with double strand break formation by SPO11, and disruption of SPO11 expression in germ cells lacking NELF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G. Kaye
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Geoffrey M. Nelson
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Helena D. Zomer
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61802, USA
| | - Debarun Roy
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61802, USA
| | - Irene Infancy Joseph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61802, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Prabhakara P. Reddi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61802, USA
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42
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Abril-Garrido J, Dienemann C, Grabbe F, Velychko T, Lidschreiber M, Wang H, Cramer P. Structural basis of transcription reduction by a promoter-proximal +1 nucleosome. Mol Cell 2023:S1097-2765(23)00255-1. [PMID: 37148879 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
At active human genes, the +1 nucleosome is located downstream of the RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) pre-initiation complex (PIC). However, at inactive genes, the +1 nucleosome is found further upstream, at a promoter-proximal location. Here, we establish a model system to show that a promoter-proximal +1 nucleosome can reduce RNA synthesis in vivo and in vitro, and we analyze its structural basis. We find that the PIC assembles normally when the edge of the +1 nucleosome is located 18 base pairs (bp) downstream of the transcription start site (TSS). However, when the nucleosome edge is located further upstream, only 10 bp downstream of the TSS, the PIC adopts an inhibited state. The transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) shows a closed conformation and its subunit XPB contacts DNA with only one of its two ATPase lobes, inconsistent with DNA opening. These results provide a mechanism for nucleosome-dependent regulation of transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Abril-Garrido
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Grabbe
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Taras Velychko
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Lidschreiber
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Haibo Wang
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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43
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Morgan MA, Shilatifard A. Epigenetic moonlighting: Catalytic-independent functions of histone modifiers in regulating transcription. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg6593. [PMID: 37083523 PMCID: PMC10121172 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The past three decades have yielded a wealth of information regarding the chromatin regulatory mechanisms that control transcription. The "histone code" hypothesis-which posits that distinct combinations of posttranslational histone modifications are "read" by downstream effector proteins to regulate gene expression-has guided chromatin research to uncover fundamental mechanisms relevant to many aspects of biology. However, recent molecular and genetic studies revealed that the function of many histone-modifying enzymes extends independently and beyond their catalytic activities. In this review, we highlight original and recent advances in the understanding of noncatalytic functions of histone modifiers. Many of the histone modifications deposited by these enzymes-previously considered to be required for transcriptional activation-have been demonstrated to be dispensable for gene expression in living organisms. This perspective aims to prompt further examination of these enigmatic chromatin modifications by inspiring studies to define the noncatalytic "epigenetic moonlighting" functions of chromatin-modifying enzymes.
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44
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Getzler AJ, Frederick MA, Milner JJ, Venables T, Diao H, Toma C, Nagaraja SD, Albao DS, Bélanger S, Tsuda SM, Kim J, Crotty S, Goldrath AW, Pipkin ME. Mll1 pioneers histone H3K4me3 deposition and promotes formation of CD8 + T stem cell memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.18.524461. [PMID: 37090503 PMCID: PMC10120707 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.524461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
CD8 + T cells with stem cell-like properties (T SCM ) sustain adaptive immunity to intracellular pathogens and tumors. However, the developmental origins and chromatin regulatory factors (CRFs) that establish their differentiation are unclear. Using an RNA interference screen of all CRFs we discovered the histone methylase Mll1 was required during T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation for development of a T SCM precursor state and mature memory (T MEM ) cells, but not short-lived or transitory effector cell-like states, in response to viral infections and tumors. Mll1 was essential for widespread de novo deposition of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) upon TCR stimulation, which accounted for 70% of all activation-induced sites in mature T MEM cells. Mll1 promoted both H3K4me3 deposition and reduced TCR-induced Pol II pausing at genes whose single-cell transcriptional dynamics explained trajectories into nascent T SCM precursor states during viral infection. Our results suggest Mll1-dependent control of Pol II elongation and H3K4me3 establishes and maintains differentiation of CD8 + T SCM cell states.
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45
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Wu Q, Wu J, Karim K, Chen X, Wang T, Iwama S, Carobbio S, Keen P, Vidal-Puig A, Kotter MR, Bassett A. Massively parallel characterization of CRISPR activator efficacy in human induced pluripotent stem cells and neurons. Mol Cell 2023; 83:1125-1139.e8. [PMID: 36917981 PMCID: PMC10114495 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) is an important tool to perturb transcription, but its effectiveness varies between target genes. We employ human pluripotent stem cells with thousands of randomly integrated barcoded reporters to assess epigenetic features that influence CRISPRa efficacy. Basal expression levels are influenced by genomic context and dramatically change during differentiation to neurons. Gene activation by dCas9-VPR is successful in most genomic contexts, including developmentally repressed regions, and activation level is anti-correlated with basal gene expression, whereas dCas9-p300 is ineffective in stem cells. Certain chromatin states, such as bivalent chromatin, are particularly sensitive to dCas9-VPR, whereas constitutive heterochromatin is less responsive. We validate these rules at endogenous genes and show that activation of certain genes elicits a change in the stem cell transcriptome, sometimes showing features of differentiated cells. Our data provide rules to predict CRISPRa outcome and highlight its utility to screen for factors driving stem cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianxin Wu
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
| | - Junjing Wu
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Kaiser Karim
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Xi Chen
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Ave, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Tengyao Wang
- Department of Statistics, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2B 4RR, UK
| | - Sho Iwama
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Stefania Carobbio
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Treatment Center, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Peter Keen
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Antonio Vidal-Puig
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Treatment Center, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mark R Kotter
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Andrew Bassett
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
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46
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Sen P, Donahue G, Li C, Egervari G, Yang N, Lan Y, Robertson N, Shah PP, Kerkhoven E, Schultz DC, Adams PD, Berger SL. Spurious intragenic transcription is a feature of mammalian cellular senescence and tissue aging. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:402-417. [PMID: 37117791 PMCID: PMC10165726 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00384-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian aging is characterized by the progressive loss of tissue function and increased risk for disease. Accumulation of senescent cells in aging tissues partly contributes to this decline, and targeted depletion of senescent cells in vivo ameliorates many age-related phenotypes. The fundamental molecular mechanisms responsible for the decline of cellular health and fitness during senescence and aging are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether chromatin-mediated loss of transcriptional fidelity, known to contribute to fitness and survival in yeast and worms, also occurs during human cellular senescence and mouse aging. Our findings reveal aberrant transcription initiation inside genes during senescence and aging that co-occurs with changes in the chromatin landscape. Interventions that alter these spurious transcripts have profound consequences on cellular health, primarily affecting intracellular signal transduction pathways. We propose that age-related spurious transcription promotes a noisy transcriptome and degradation of coherent transcriptional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Sen
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Greg Donahue
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Catherine Li
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gabor Egervari
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Na Yang
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yemin Lan
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Neil Robertson
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Parisha P Shah
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erik Kerkhoven
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David C Schultz
- High Throughput Screening Core, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peter D Adams
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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47
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Goruppi S, Clocchiatti A, Bottoni G, Di Cicco E, Ma M, Tassone B, Neel V, Demehri S, Simon C, Paolo Dotto G. The ULK3 kinase is a determinant of keratinocyte self-renewal and tumorigenesis targeting the arginine methylome. Nat Commun 2023; 14:887. [PMID: 36797248 PMCID: PMC9935893 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36410-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms oversee epidermal homeostasis and oncogenesis. The identification of kinases controlling these processes has direct therapeutic implications. We show that ULK3 is a nuclear kinase with elevated expression levels in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) arising in multiple body sites, including skin and Head/Neck. ULK3 loss by gene silencing or deletion reduces proliferation and clonogenicity of human keratinocytes and SCC-derived cells and affects transcription impinging on stem cell-related and metabolism programs. Mechanistically, ULK3 directly binds and regulates the activity of two histone arginine methyltransferases, PRMT1 and PRMT5 (PRMT1/5), with ULK3 loss compromising PRMT1/5 chromatin association to specific genes and overall methylation of histone H4, a shared target of these enzymes. These findings are of translational significance, as downmodulating ULK3 by RNA interference or locked antisense nucleic acids (LNAs) blunts the proliferation and tumorigenic potential of SCC cells and promotes differentiation in two orthotopic models of skin cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Goruppi
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA.
| | - Andrea Clocchiatti
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
| | - Giulia Bottoni
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
| | - Emery Di Cicco
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
| | - Min Ma
- Personalized Cancer Prevention Research Unit and Head and Neck Surgery Division, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Tassone
- Personalized Cancer Prevention Research Unit and Head and Neck Surgery Division, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland
| | - Victor Neel
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
| | - Shadhmer Demehri
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA
| | - Christian Simon
- Personalized Cancer Prevention Research Unit and Head and Neck Surgery Division, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland
- International Cancer Prevention Institute, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland
| | - G Paolo Dotto
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, 02129, MA, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, MA, USA.
- Personalized Cancer Prevention Research Unit and Head and Neck Surgery Division, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland.
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland.
- International Cancer Prevention Institute, Epalinges, 1066, Switzerland.
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48
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Fujinaga K, Huang F, Peterlin BM. P-TEFb: The master regulator of transcription elongation. Mol Cell 2023; 83:393-403. [PMID: 36599353 PMCID: PMC9898187 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) is composed of cyclins T1 or T2 and cyclin-dependent kinase 9 that regulate the elongation phase of transcription by RNA polymerase II. By antagonizing negative elongation factors and phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II, P-TEFb facilitates the elongation and co-transcriptional processing of nascent transcripts. This step is critical for the expression of most eukaryotic genes. In growing cells, P-TEFb is regulated negatively by its reversible associations with HEXIM1/2 in the 7SK snRNP and positively by a number of transcription factors, as well as the super elongation complex. In resting cells, P-TEFb falls apart, and cyclin T1 is degraded by the proteasome. This complex regulation of P-TEFb has evolved for the precise temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression in the organism. Its dysregulation contributes to inflammatory and neoplastic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koh Fujinaga
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Fang Huang
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - B Matija Peterlin
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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49
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Tang X, Luo Y, Yuan D, Calandrelli R, Malhi NK, Sriram K, Miao Y, Lou CH, Tsark W, Tapia A, Chen AT, Zhang G, Roeth D, Kalkum M, Wang ZV, Chien S, Natarajan R, Cooke JP, Zhong S, Chen ZB. Long noncoding RNA LEENE promotes angiogenesis and ischemic recovery in diabetes models. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e161759. [PMID: 36512424 PMCID: PMC9888385 DOI: 10.1172/jci161759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired angiogenesis in diabetes is a key process contributing to ischemic diseases such as peripheral arterial disease. Epigenetic mechanisms, including those mediated by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), are crucial links connecting diabetes and the related chronic tissue ischemia. Here we identify the lncRNA that enhances endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression (LEENE) as a regulator of angiogenesis and ischemic response. LEENE expression was decreased in diabetic conditions in cultured endothelial cells (ECs), mouse hind limb muscles, and human arteries. Inhibition of LEENE in human microvascular ECs reduced their angiogenic capacity with a dysregulated angiogenic gene program. Diabetic mice deficient in Leene demonstrated impaired angiogenesis and perfusion following hind limb ischemia. Importantly, overexpression of human LEENE rescued the impaired ischemic response in Leene-knockout mice at tissue functional and single-cell transcriptomic levels. Mechanistically, LEENE RNA promoted transcription of proangiogenic genes in ECs, such as KDR (encoding VEGFR2) and NOS3 (encoding eNOS), potentially by interacting with LEO1, a key component of the RNA polymerase II-associated factor complex and MYC, a crucial transcription factor for angiogenesis. Taken together, our findings demonstrate an essential role for LEENE in the regulation of angiogenesis and tissue perfusion. Functional enhancement of LEENE to restore angiogenesis for tissue repair and regeneration may represent a potential strategy to tackle ischemic vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Tang
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Yingjun Luo
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Dongqiang Yuan
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | | | - Naseeb Kaur Malhi
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Kiran Sriram
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences
| | - Yifei Miao
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | | | - Walter Tsark
- Transgenic Mouse Facility, Center for Comparative Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Alonso Tapia
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences
| | - Aleysha T. Chen
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | | | - Daniel Roeth
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Center for Comparative Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Markus Kalkum
- Department of Immunology & Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Center for Comparative Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Zhao V. Wang
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences
- Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism and
| | - Shu Chien
- Department of Bioengineering, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Rama Natarajan
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences
| | - John P. Cooke
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sheng Zhong
- Department of Bioengineering, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Zhen Bouman Chen
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
- Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences
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The methylome and cell-free DNA: current applications in medicine and pediatric disease. Pediatr Res 2023:10.1038/s41390-022-02448-3. [PMID: 36646885 PMCID: PMC9842217 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that contributes to cell regulation and development, and different methylation patterns allow for the identification of cell and tissue type. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is composed of small circulating fragments of DNA found in plasma and urine. Total cfDNA levels correlate with the presence of inflammation and tissue injury in a variety of disease states. Unfortunately, the utility of cfDNA is limited by its lack of tissue or cell-type specificity. However, methylome analysis of cfDNA allows the identification of the tissue or cell type from which cfDNA originated. Thus, methylation patterns in cfDNA from tissues isolated from direct study may provide windows into health and disease states, thereby serving as a "liquid biopsy". This review will discuss methylation and its role in establishing cellular identity, cfDNA as a biomarker and its pathophysiologic role in the inflammatory process, and the ways cfDNA and methylomics can be jointly applied in medicine. IMPACT: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is increasingly being used as a noninvasive diagnostic and disease-monitoring tool in pediatric medicine. However, the lack of specificity of cfDNA limits its utility. Identification of cell type-specific methylation signatures can help overcome the limited specificity of cfDNA. As knowledge of the cfDNA methylome improves, cfDNA will be more broadly applied in medicine, such that clinicians will need to understand the methods and applications of its use.
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