1
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Karam G, Molaro A. Casting histone variants during mammalian reproduction. Chromosoma 2023:10.1007/s00412-023-00803-9. [PMID: 37347315 PMCID: PMC10356639 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00803-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
During mammalian reproduction, germ cell chromatin packaging is key to prepare parental genomes for fertilization and to initiate embryonic development. While chromatin modifications such as DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications are well known to carry regulatory information, histone variants have received less attention in this context. Histone variants alter the stability, structure and function of nucleosomes and, as such, contribute to chromatin organization in germ cells. Here, we review histone variants expression dynamics during the production of male and female germ cells, and what is currently known about their parent-of-origin effects during reproduction. Finally, we discuss the apparent conundrum behind these important functions and their recent evolutionary diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine Karam
- Genetics, Reproduction and Development Institute (iGReD), CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Antoine Molaro
- Genetics, Reproduction and Development Institute (iGReD), CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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2
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Dijkwel Y, Tremethick DJ. The Role of the Histone Variant H2A.Z in Metazoan Development. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10030028. [PMID: 35893123 PMCID: PMC9326617 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
During the emergence and radiation of complex multicellular eukaryotes from unicellular ancestors, transcriptional systems evolved by becoming more complex to provide the basis for this morphological diversity. The way eukaryotic genomes are packaged into a highly complex structure, known as chromatin, underpins this evolution of transcriptional regulation. Chromatin structure is controlled by a variety of different epigenetic mechanisms, including the major mechanism for altering the biochemical makeup of the nucleosome by replacing core histones with their variant forms. The histone H2A variant H2A.Z is particularly important in early metazoan development because, without it, embryos cease to develop and die. However, H2A.Z is also required for many differentiation steps beyond the stage that H2A.Z-knockout embryos die. H2A.Z can facilitate the activation and repression of genes that are important for pluripotency and differentiation, and acts through a variety of different molecular mechanisms that depend upon its modification status, its interaction with histone and nonhistone partners, and where it is deposited within the genome. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about the different mechanisms by which H2A.Z regulates chromatin function at various developmental stages and the chromatin remodeling complexes that determine when and where H2A.Z is deposited.
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3
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Moritz L, Hammoud SS. The Art of Packaging the Sperm Genome: Molecular and Structural Basis of the Histone-To-Protamine Exchange. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:895502. [PMID: 35813619 PMCID: PMC9258737 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.895502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Male fertility throughout life hinges on the successful production of motile sperm, a developmental process that involves three coordinated transitions: mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. Germ cells undergo both mitosis and meiosis to generate haploid round spermatids, in which histones bound to the male genome are replaced with small nuclear proteins known as protamines. During this transformation, the chromatin undergoes extensive remodeling to become highly compacted in the sperm head. Despite its central role in spermiogenesis and fertility, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the remodeling process, including which remodelers/chaperones are involved, and whether intermediate chromatin proteins function as discrete steps, or unite simultaneously to drive successful exchange. Furthermore, it remains largely unknown whether more nuanced interactions instructed by protamine post-translational modifications affect chromatin dynamics or gene expression in the early embryo. Here, we bring together past and more recent work to explore these topics and suggest future studies that will elevate our understanding of the molecular basis of the histone-to-protamine exchange and the underlying etiology of idiopathic male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Moritz
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Lindsay Moritz, ; Saher Sue Hammoud,
| | - Saher Sue Hammoud
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Lindsay Moritz, ; Saher Sue Hammoud,
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4
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Alavattam KG, Maezawa S, Andreassen PR, Namekawa SH. Meiotic sex chromosome inactivation and the XY body: a phase separation hypothesis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:18. [PMID: 34971404 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04075-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In mammalian male meiosis, the heterologous X and Y chromosomes remain unsynapsed and, as a result, are subject to meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). MSCI is required for the successful completion of spermatogenesis. Following the initiation of MSCI, the X and Y chromosomes undergo various epigenetic modifications and are transformed into a nuclear body termed the XY body. Here, we review the mechanisms underlying the initiation of two essential, sequential processes in meiotic prophase I: MSCI and XY-body formation. The initiation of MSCI is directed by the action of DNA damage response (DDR) pathways; downstream of the DDR, unique epigenetic states are established, leading to the formation of the XY body. Accumulating evidence suggests that MSCI and subsequent XY-body formation may be driven by phase separation, a physical process that governs the formation of membraneless organelles and other biomolecular condensates. Thus, here we gather literature-based evidence to explore a phase separation hypothesis for the initiation of MSCI and the formation of the XY body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris G Alavattam
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - So Maezawa
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan
| | - Paul R Andreassen
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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5
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Subrini J, Turner J. Y chromosome functions in mammalian spermatogenesis. eLife 2021; 10:67345. [PMID: 34606444 PMCID: PMC8489898 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian Y chromosome is critical for male sex determination and spermatogenesis. However, linking each Y gene to specific aspects of male reproduction has been challenging. As the Y chromosome is notoriously hard to sequence and target, functional studies have mostly relied on transgene-rescue approaches using mouse models with large multi-gene deletions. These experimental limitations have oriented the field toward the search for a minimum set of Y genes necessary for male reproduction. Here, considering Y-chromosome evolutionary history and decades of discoveries, we review the current state of research on its function in spermatogenesis and reassess the view that many Y genes are disposable for male reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremie Subrini
- Sex Chromosome Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Turner
- Sex Chromosome Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
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6
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González-Arranz S, Gardner JM, Yu Z, Patel NJ, Heldrich J, Santos B, Carballo JA, Jaspersen SL, Hochwagen A, San-Segundo PA. SWR1-Independent Association of H2A.Z to the LINC Complex Promotes Meiotic Chromosome Motion. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:594092. [PMID: 33195270 PMCID: PMC7642583 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.594092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The H2A.Z histone variant is deposited into the chromatin by the SWR1 complex, affecting multiple aspects of meiosis. We describe here a SWR1-independent localization of H2A.Z at meiotic telomeres and the centrosome. We demonstrate that H2A.Z colocalizes and interacts with Mps3, the SUN component of the linker of nucleoskeleton, and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex that spans the nuclear envelope and links meiotic telomeres to the cytoskeleton, promoting meiotic chromosome movement. H2A.Z also interacts with the meiosis-specific Ndj1 protein that anchors telomeres to the nuclear periphery via Mps3. Telomeric localization of H2A.Z depends on Ndj1 and the N-terminal domain of Mps3. Although telomeric attachment to the nuclear envelope is maintained in the absence of H2A.Z, the distribution of Mps3 is altered. The velocity of chromosome movement during the meiotic prophase is reduced in the htz1Δ mutant lacking H2A.Z, but it is unaffected in swr1Δ cells. We reveal that H2A.Z is an additional LINC-associated factor that contributes to promote telomere-driven chromosome motion critical for error-free gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara González-Arranz
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | | | - Zulin Yu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Neem J. Patel
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jonna Heldrich
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Beatriz Santos
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jesús A. Carballo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sue L. Jaspersen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, United States
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Andreas Hochwagen
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Pedro A. San-Segundo
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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7
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Lu C, Zhang Y, Qin Y, Xu Q, Zhou R, Cui Y, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Zhang J, Wei X, Wang M, Hang B, Mao JH, Snijders AM, Liu M, Hu Z, Shen H, Zhou Z, Guo X, Wu X, Wang X, Xia Y. Human X chromosome exome sequencing identifies BCORL1 as contributor to spermatogenesis. J Med Genet 2020; 58:56-65. [PMID: 32376790 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples worldwide with male infertility being responsible for approximately 50% of cases. Although accumulating evidence demonstrates the critical role of the X chromosome in spermatogenesis during the last few decades, the expression patterns and potential impact of the X chromosome, together with X linked genes, on male infertility are less well understood. METHODS We performed X chromosome exome sequencing followed by a two-stage independent population validation in 1333 non-obstructive azoospermia cases and 1141 healthy controls to identify variant classes with high likelihood of pathogenicity. To explore the functions of these candidate genes in spermatogenesis, we first knocked down these candidate genes individually in mouse spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) using short interfering RNA oligonucleotides and then generated candidate genes knockout mice by CRISPR-Cas9 system. RESULTS Four low-frequency variants were identified in four genes (BCORL1, MAP7D3, ARMCX4 and H2BFWT) associated with male infertility. Functional studies of the mouse SSCs revealed that knocking down Bcorl1 or Mtap7d3 could inhibit SSCs self-renewal and knocking down Armcx4 could repress SSCs differentiation in vitro. Using CRISPR-Cas9 system, Bcorl1 and Mtap7d3 knockout mice were generated. Excitingly, Bcorl1 knockout mice were infertile with impaired spermatogenesis. Moreover, Bcorl1 knockout mice exhibited impaired sperm motility and sperm cells displayed abnormal mitochondrial structure. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that the X-linked genes are associated with male infertility and involved in regulating SSCs, which provides a new insight into the role of X-linked genes in spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuncheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yufeng Qin
- Epigenetics & Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Qiaoqiao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Zhou
- Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunfei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jintao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Hang
- Division of Biological Systems and Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jian-Hua Mao
- Division of Biological Systems and Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Antoine M Snijders
- Division of Biological Systems and Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Mingxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhibin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongbing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zuomin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinru Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yankai Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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8
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Sharma P, Ghanghas P, Kaushal N, Kaur J, Kaur P. Epigenetics and oxidative stress: A twin-edged sword in spermatogenesis. Andrologia 2019; 51:e13432. [PMID: 31583745 DOI: 10.1111/and.13432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a series of complex events involving a delicate balance between cell proliferation and cell differentiation. Aggregation of chromatins and epigenetic modifications play a vital role in spermatogenesis via regulation of molecular pathways to maintain testicular homeostasis. These epigenetic mechanisms consist of histone modification, chromatin remodelling, DNA methylation and miRNA, etc., which reportedly are critical players in spermatogenesis. One such mechanism involves regulation of oxidative stress in the male reproductive system. The fact that testicular cells contain plenty of unsaturated fatty acids and undergo division at a high rate makes spermatogenic cells highly susceptible to oxidative insult leading to deleterious effect on spermatozoa, which may culminate in infertility in men. Although the correlation between ROS-mediated oxidative stress and epigenetic alterations has been indicated, research in this regard is still in infancy. Further, the fact that environmental and life style factors are critical determinants of spermatogenic potential indicates the importance of epigenetic regulation of key molecular events in spermatogenesis. Therefore, the current review aims to discuss the ROS-induced epigenetic deregulation of the molecular mechanism(s) involved in spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Sharma
- University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Preety Ghanghas
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Naveen Kaushal
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jaspreet Kaur
- University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Parminder Kaur
- University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
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9
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Ryan DP, Tremethick DJ. The interplay between H2A.Z and H3K9 methylation in regulating HP1α binding to linker histone-containing chromatin. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:9353-9366. [PMID: 30007360 PMCID: PMC6182156 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most intensively studied chromatin binding factors is HP1α. HP1α is associated with silenced, heterochromatic regions of the genome and binds to H3K9me3. While H3K9me3 is necessary for HP1α recruitment to heterochromatin, it is becoming apparent that it is not sufficient suggesting that additional factors are involved. One candidate proposed as a potential regulator of HP1α recruitment is the linker histone H1.4. Changes to the underlying make-up of chromatin, such as the incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z, has also been linked with regulating HP1 binding to chromatin. Here, we rigorously dissected the effects of H1.4, H2A.Z and H3K9me3 on the nucleosome binding activity of HP1α in vitro employing arrays, mononucleosomes and nucleosome core particles. Unexpectedly, histone H1.4 impedes the binding of HP1α but strikingly, this inhibition is partially relieved by the incorporation of both H2A.Z and H3K9me3 but only in the context of arrays or nucleosome core particles. Our data suggests that there are two modes of interaction of HP1α with nucleosomes. The first primary mode is through interactions with linker DNA. However, when linker DNA is missing or occluded by linker histones, HP1α directly interacts with the nucleosome core and this interaction is enhanced by H2A.Z with H3K9me3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Ryan
- Department of Genome Sciences, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - David J Tremethick
- Department of Genome Sciences, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia
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10
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Ketchum CC, Larsen CD, McNeil A, Meyer-Ficca ML, Meyer RG. Early histone H4 acetylation during chromatin remodeling in equine spermatogenesis. Biol Reprod 2019; 98:115-129. [PMID: 29186293 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin remodeling during spermatogenesis culminates in the exchange of nucleosomes for transition proteins and protamines as an important part of spermatid development to give rise to healthy sperm. Comparative immunofluorescence analyses of equine and murine testis histological sections were used to characterize nucleoprotein exchange in the stallion. Histone H4 hyperacetylation is considered a key event of histone removal during the nucleoprotein transition to a protamine-based sperm chromatin structure. In the stallion, but not the mouse, H4 was already highly acetylated in lysine residues K5, K8, and K12 in round spermatids almost immediately after meiotic division. Time courses of transition protein 1 (TP1), protamine 1, H2A histone family member Z (H2AFZ), and testis-specific histone H2B variant (TH2B) expression in stallion spermatogenesis were similar to the mouse where protamine 1 and TP1 were only expressed in elongating spermatids much later in spermatid development. The additional acetylation of H4 in K16 position (H4K16ac) was detected during a brief phase of spermatid elongation in both species, concomitant with the phosphorylation of the noncanonical histone variant H2AFX resulting from DNA strand break-mediated DNA relaxation. The results suggest that H4K16 acetylation, which is dependent on DNA damage signaling, may be more important for nucleosome replacement in spermiogenesis than indicated by data obtained in rodents and highlight the value of the stallion as an alternative animal model for investigating human spermatogenesis. A revised classification system of the equine spermatogenic cycle for simplified comparison with the mouse is proposed to this end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea C Ketchum
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA.,Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Casey D Larsen
- School of Veterinary Medicine (Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Veterinary Medical Program, WIMU), Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Alexis McNeil
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Mirella L Meyer-Ficca
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA.,School of Veterinary Medicine (Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Veterinary Medical Program, WIMU), Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Ralph G Meyer
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA.,Utah Experimental Station, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA.,School of Veterinary Medicine (Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Veterinary Medical Program, WIMU), Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
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11
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Lu Y, Liao S, Tu W, Yang B, Liu S, Pei X, Tao D, Lu Y, Ma Y, Yang Y, Liu Y. DNA demethylation facilitates the specific transcription of the mouse X-linked Tsga8 gene in round spermatids†. Biol Reprod 2019; 100:994-1007. [PMID: 30541061 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Some X-linked genes necessary for spermiogenesis are specifically activated in the postmeiotic germ cells. However, the regulatory mechanism about this activation is not clearly understood. Here, we examined the potential mechanism controlling the transcriptional activation of the mouse testis specific gene A8 (Tsga8) gene in round spermatids. We observed that the Tsga8 expression was negatively correlated with the methylation level of the CpG sites in its core promoter. During spermatogenesis, the Tsga8 promoter was methylated in spermatogonia, and then demethylated in spermatocytes. The demethylation status of Tsga8 promoter was maintained through the postmeiotic germ cells, providing a potentially active chromatin for Tsga8 transcription. In vitro investigation showed that the E12 and Spz1 transcription factors can enhance the Tsga8 promoter activity by binding to the unmethylated E-box motif within the Tsga8 promoter. Additionally, the core Tsga8 promoter drove green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in the germ cells of Tsga8-GFP transgenic mice, and the GFP expression pattern was similar to that of endogenous Tsga8. Moreover, the DNA methylation profile of the Tsga8-promoter-driven transgene was consistent with that of the endogenous Tsga8 promoter, indicating the existence of a similar epigenetic modification for the Tsga8 promoter to ensure its spatiotemporal expression in vivo. Taken together, this study reports the details of a regulatory mechanism that includes DNA methylation and transcription factors to mediate the postmeiotic expression of an X-linked gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Lu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shunyao Liao
- Diabetic Center and Institute of Transplantation, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Wenling Tu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Diabetic Center and Institute of Transplantation, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xue Pei
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Dachang Tao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yilu Lu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yongxin Ma
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yunqiang Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Division of Human Morbid Genomics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
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12
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Ernst C, Eling N, Martinez-Jimenez CP, Marioni JC, Odom DT. Staged developmental mapping and X chromosome transcriptional dynamics during mouse spermatogenesis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1251. [PMID: 30890697 PMCID: PMC6424977 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09182-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Male gametes are generated through a specialised differentiation pathway involving a series of developmental transitions that are poorly characterised at the molecular level. Here, we use droplet-based single-cell RNA-Sequencing to profile spermatogenesis in adult animals and at multiple stages during juvenile development. By exploiting the first wave of spermatogenesis, we both precisely stage germ cell development and enrich for rare somatic cell-types and spermatogonia. To capture the full complexity of spermatogenesis including cells that have low transcriptional activity, we apply a statistical tool that identifies previously uncharacterised populations of leptotene and zygotene spermatocytes. Focusing on post-meiotic events, we characterise the temporal dynamics of X chromosome re-activation and profile the associated chromatin state using CUT&RUN. This identifies a set of genes strongly repressed by H3K9me3 in spermatocytes, which then undergo extensive chromatin remodelling post-meiosis, thus acquiring an active chromatin state and spermatid-specific expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Ernst
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Nils Eling
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Celia P Martinez-Jimenez
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Welcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - John C Marioni
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK.
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Welcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
| | - Duncan T Odom
- University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division Signaling and Functional Genomics, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Abstract
The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes has occurred independently many times in different lineages. The differentiation of sex chromosomes leads to dramatic changes in sequence composition and function and guides the evolutionary trajectory and utilization of genes in pivotal sex determination and reproduction roles. In addition, meiotic recombination and pairing mechanisms are key in orchestrating the resultant impact, retention and maintenance of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, as the resulting exposure of unpaired DNA at meiosis triggers ancient repair and checkpoint pathways. In this review, we summarize the different ways in which sex chromosome systems are organized at meiosis, how pairing is affected, and differences in unpaired DNA responses. We hypothesize that lineage specific differences in meiotic organization is not only a consequence of sex chromosome evolution, but that the establishment of epigenetic changes on sex chromosomes contributes toward their evolutionary conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasman Daish
- Comparative Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- Comparative Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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14
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Larose H, Shami AN, Abbott H, Manske G, Lei L, Hammoud SS. Gametogenesis: A journey from inception to conception. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 132:257-310. [PMID: 30797511 PMCID: PMC7133493 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Gametogenesis, the process of forming mature germ cells, is an integral part of both an individual's and a species' health and well-being. This chapter focuses on critical male and female genetic and epigenetic processes underlying normal gamete formation through their differentiation to fertilization. Finally, we explore how knowledge gained from this field has contributed to progress in areas with great clinical promise, such as in vitro gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey Larose
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Haley Abbott
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Gabriel Manske
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
| | - Saher Sue Hammoud
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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15
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Kruger AN, Ellison Q, Brogley MA, Gerlinger ER, Mueller JL. Male mice with large inversions or deletions of X-chromosome palindrome arms are fertile and express their associated genes during post-meiosis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8985. [PMID: 29895860 PMCID: PMC5997626 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27360-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Large (>10 kb) palindromic sequences are enriched on mammalian sex chromosomes. In mice, these palindromes harbor gene families (≥2 gene copies) expressed exclusively in post-meiotic testicular germ cells, a time when most single-copy sex-linked genes are transcriptionally repressed. This observation led to the hypothesis that palindromic structures or having ≥2 gene copies enable post-meiotic gene expression. We tested these hypotheses by using CRISPR to precisely engineer large (10’s of kb) inversions and deletions of X-chromosome palindrome arms for two regions that carry the mouse 4930567H17Rik and Mageb5 palindrome gene families. We found that 4930567H17Rik and Mageb5 gene expression is unaffected in mice carrying palindrome arm inversions and halved in mice carrying palindrome arm deletions. We assessed whether palindrome-associated genes were sensitive to reduced expression in mice carrying palindrome arm deletions. Male mice carrying palindrome arm deletions are fertile and show no defects in post-meiotic spermatogenesis. Together, these findings suggest palindromic structures on the sex chromosomes are not necessary for their associated genes to evade post-meiotic transcriptional repression and that these genes are not sensitive to reduced expression levels. Large sex chromosome palindromes may be important for other reasons, such as promoting gene conversion between palindrome arms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Kruger
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Quinn Ellison
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Michele A Brogley
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Emma R Gerlinger
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jacob L Mueller
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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16
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Functional Impact of the H2A.Z Histone Variant During Meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2018; 209:997-1015. [PMID: 29853474 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.301110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the collection of chromatin modifications that influence its function and structure, the substitution of canonical histones by the so-called histone variants is one of the most prominent actions. Since crucial meiotic transactions are modulated by chromatin, here we investigate the functional contribution of the H2A.Z histone variant during both unperturbed meiosis and upon challenging conditions where the meiotic recombination checkpoint is triggered in budding yeast by the absence of the synaptonemal complex component Zip1 We have found that H2A.Z localizes to meiotic chromosomes in an SWR1-dependent manner. Although meiotic recombination is not substantially altered, the htz1 mutant (lacking H2A.Z) shows inefficient meiotic progression, impaired sporulation, and reduced spore viability. These phenotypes are likely accounted for by the misregulation of meiotic gene expression landscape observed in htz1 In the zip1 mutant, the absence of H2A.Z results in a tighter meiotic arrest imposed by the meiotic recombination checkpoint. We have found that Mec1-dependent Hop1-T318 phosphorylation and the ensuing Mek1 activation are not significantly altered in zip1 htz1; however, downstream checkpoint targets, such as the meiosis I-promoting factors Ndt80, Cdc5, and Clb1, are drastically downregulated. The study of the checkpoint response in zip1 htz1 has also allowed us to reveal the existence of an additional function of the Swe1 kinase, independent of CDK inhibitory phosphorylation, which is relevant to restrain meiotic cell cycle progression. In summary, our study shows that the H2A.Z histone variant impacts various aspects of meiotic development adding further insight into the relevance of chromatin dynamics for accurate gametogenesis.
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17
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Champroux A, Cocquet J, Henry-Berger J, Drevet JR, Kocer A. A Decade of Exploring the Mammalian Sperm Epigenome: Paternal Epigenetic and Transgenerational Inheritance. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:50. [PMID: 29868581 PMCID: PMC5962689 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in interest and progress in the field of sperm epigenetics. Studies have shown that chromatin regulation during male germline development is multiple and complex, and that the spermatozoon possesses a unique epigenome. Its DNA methylation profile, DNA-associated proteins, nucleo-protamine distribution pattern and non-coding RNA set up a unique epigenetic landscape which is delivered, along with its haploid genome, to the oocyte upon fertilization, and therefore can contribute to embryogenesis and to the offspring health. An emerging body of compelling data demonstrates that environmental exposures and paternal lifestyle can change the sperm epigenome and, consequently, may affect both the embryonic developmental program and the health of future generations. This short review will attempt to provide an overview of what is currently known about sperm epigenome and the existence of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of paternally acquired traits that may contribute to the offspring phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Champroux
- GReD, Laboratoire “Génétique, Reproduction and Développement,” UMR Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Julie Cocquet
- INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Joëlle Henry-Berger
- GReD, Laboratoire “Génétique, Reproduction and Développement,” UMR Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Joël R. Drevet
- GReD, Laboratoire “Génétique, Reproduction and Développement,” UMR Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Ayhan Kocer
- GReD, Laboratoire “Génétique, Reproduction and Développement,” UMR Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 6293, INSERM U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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18
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Ostromyshenskii DI, Chernyaeva EN, Kuznetsova IS, Podgornaya OI. Mouse chromocenters DNA content: sequencing and in silico analysis. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:151. [PMID: 29458329 PMCID: PMC5819297 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4534-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chromocenters are defined as a punctate condensed blocks of chromatin in the interphase cell nuclei of certain cell types with unknown biological significance. In recent years a progress in revealing of chromocenters protein content has been made although the details of DNA content within constitutive heterochromatin still remain unclear. It is known that these regions are enriched in tandem repeats (TR) and transposable elements. Quick improvement of genome sequencing does not help to assemble the heterochromatic regions due to lack of appropriate bioinformatics techniques. RESULTS Chromocenters DNA have been isolated by a biochemical approach from mouse liver cells nuclei and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq resulting in ChrmC dataset. Analysis of ChrmC dataset by the bioinformatics tools available revealed that the major component of chromocenter DNA are TRs: ~ 66% MaSat and ~ 4% MiSat. Other previously classified TR families constitute ~ 1% of ChrmC dataset. About 6% of chromocenters DNA are mostly unannotated sequences. In the contigs assembled with IDBA_UD there are many fragments of heterochromatic Y-chromosome, rDNA and other pseudo-genes and non-coding DNA. A protein coding sfi1 homolog gene fragment was also found in contigs. The Sfi1 homolog gene is located on the chromosome 11 in the reference genome very close to the Golden Pass Gap (a ~ 3 Mb empty region reserved to the pericentromeric region) and proves the purity of chromocenters isolation. The second major fraction are non-LTR retroposons (SINE and LINE) with overwhelming majority of LINE - ~ 11% of ChrmC. Most of the LINE fragments are from the ~ 2 kb region at the end of the 2nd ORF and its' flanking region. The precise LINEs' segment of ~ 2 kb is the necessary mouse constitutive heterohromatin component together with TR. The third most abundant fraction are ERVs. The ERV distribution in chromocenters differs from the whole genome: IAP (ERV2 class) is the most numerous in ChrmC while MaLR (ERV3 class) prevails in the reference genome. IAP and its LTR also prevail in TR containing contigs extracted from the WGS dataset. In silico prediction of IAP and LINE fragments in chromocenters was confirmed by direct fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). CONCLUSION Our data of chromocenters' DNA (ChrmC) sequencing demonstrate that IAP with LTR and a precise ~ 2 kb fragment of LINE represent a substantial fraction of mouse chromocenters (constitutive heteroсhromatin) along with TRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii I Ostromyshenskii
- Institute of Cytology RAS, St.-Petersburg, 194064, Russia.
- Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, 690922, Russia.
| | | | - Inna S Kuznetsova
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Olga I Podgornaya
- Institute of Cytology RAS, St.-Petersburg, 194064, Russia
- Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, 690922, Russia
- St Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, 199034, Russia
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19
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Hoghoughi N, Barral S, Vargas A, Rousseaux S, Khochbin S. Histone variants: essential actors in male genome programming. J Biochem 2018; 163:97-103. [PMID: 29165574 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvx079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior to its transmission to the offspring, the male genome has to be tightly compacted. A genome-scale histone eviction and the subsequent repackaging of DNA by protamines (Prms) direct this essential genome condensation step. The requirement for male germ cells to undergo such a dramatic and unique genome reorganization explains why these cells express the largest number of histone variants, including many testis-specific ones. Indeed, an open chromatin, nucleosome instability and a facilitated process of histone disassembly are direct consequences of the presence of these histone variants in the chromatin of male germ cells. These histone-induced changes in chromatin first control a stage-specific gene expression program and then directly mediate the histone-to-Prm transition process. This review aims at summarizing and discussing a series of recent functional studies of male germ cell histone variants with a focus on their impact on the process of histone eviction and male genome compaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naghmeh Hoghoughi
- CNRS UMR 5309, Inserm, U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble F-38700, France
| | - Sophie Barral
- CNRS UMR 5309, Inserm, U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble F-38700, France
| | - Alexandra Vargas
- CNRS UMR 5309, Inserm, U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble F-38700, France
| | - Sophie Rousseaux
- CNRS UMR 5309, Inserm, U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble F-38700, France
| | - Saadi Khochbin
- CNRS UMR 5309, Inserm, U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Grenoble F-38700, France
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20
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El Kennani S, Adrait A, Permiakova O, Hesse AM, Ialy-Radio C, Ferro M, Brun V, Cocquet J, Govin J, Pflieger D. Systematic quantitative analysis of H2A and H2B variants by targeted proteomics. Epigenetics Chromatin 2018; 11:2. [PMID: 29329550 PMCID: PMC5767011 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-017-0172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histones organize DNA into chromatin through a variety of processes. Among them, a vast diversity of histone variants can be incorporated into chromatin and finely modulate its organization and functionality. Classically, the study of histone variants has largely relied on antibody-based assays. However, antibodies have a limited efficiency to discriminate between highly similar histone variants. RESULTS In this study, we established a mass spectrometry-based analysis to address this challenge. We developed a targeted proteomics method, using selected reaction monitoring or parallel reaction monitoring, to quantify a maximum number of histone variants in a single multiplexed assay, even when histones are present in a crude extract. This strategy was developed on H2A and H2B variants, using 55 peptides corresponding to 25 different histone sequences, among which a few differ by a single amino acid. The methodology was then applied to mouse testis extracts in which almost all histone variants are expressed. It confirmed the abundance profiles of several testis-specific histones during successive stages of spermatogenesis and the existence of predicted H2A.L.1 isoforms. This methodology was also used to explore the over-expression pattern of H2A.L.1 isoforms in a mouse model of male infertility. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that targeted proteomics is a powerful method to quantify highly similar histone variants and isoforms. The developed method can be easily transposed to the study of human histone variants, whose abundance can be deregulated in various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara El Kennani
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Annie Adrait
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Olga Permiakova
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Anne-Marie Hesse
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Côme Ialy-Radio
- INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Myriam Ferro
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Virginie Brun
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Julie Cocquet
- INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Govin
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
| | - Delphine Pflieger
- INSERM U1038, CEA, BIG-BGE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France. .,CNRS, FR CNRS 3425, Biosciences and Biotechnology Institute of Grenoble, Grenoble, France.
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21
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Alavattam KG, Abe H, Sakashita A, Namekawa SH. Chromosome Spread Analyses of Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1861:113-129. [PMID: 30218364 PMCID: PMC8243718 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8766-5_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A distinct form of X chromosome inactivation takes place during male meiosis, when the male sex chromosomes undergo a phenomenon known as meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). MSCI is directed by DNA damage response signaling independent of Xist RNA to silence the transcriptional activity of the sex chromosomes, an essential event in male germ cell development. Here, we present protocols for the preparation and analyses of chromosome spread slides of mouse meiotic spermatocytes, thereby enabling a quick, inexpensive, and powerful cytological method to complement gene expression studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris G Alavattam
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Hironori Abe
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Akihiko Sakashita
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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22
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Alavattam KG, Kato Y, Sin HS, Maezawa S, Kowalski IJ, Zhang F, Pang Q, Andreassen PR, Namekawa SH. Elucidation of the Fanconi Anemia Protein Network in Meiosis and Its Function in the Regulation of Histone Modifications. Cell Rep 2017; 17:1141-1157. [PMID: 27760317 PMCID: PMC5095620 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.09.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise epigenetic regulation of the sex chromosomes is vital for the male germline. Here, we analyze meiosis in eight mouse models deficient for various DNA damage response (DDR) factors, including Fanconi anemia (FA) proteins. We reveal a network of FA and DDR proteins in which FA core factors FANCA, FANCB, and FANCC are essential for FANCD2 foci formation, whereas BRCA1 (FANCS), MDC1, and RNF8 are required for BRCA2 (FANCD1) and SLX4 (FANCP) accumulation on the sex chromosomes during meiosis. In addition, FA proteins modulate distinct histone marks on the sex chromosomes: FA core proteins and FANCD2 regulate H3K9 methylation, while FANCD2 and RNF8 function together to regulate H3K4 methylation independently of FA core proteins. Our data suggest that RNF8 integrates the FA-BRCA pathway. Taken together, our study reveals distinct functions for FA proteins and illuminates the male sex chromosomes as a model to dissect the function of the FA-BRCA pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris G Alavattam
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Yasuko Kato
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Ho-Su Sin
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - So Maezawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Ian J Kowalski
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Fan Zhang
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Qishen Pang
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Paul R Andreassen
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences and Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 49229, USA.
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23
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Meyer RG, Ketchum CC, Meyer-Ficca ML. Heritable sperm chromatin epigenetics: a break to remember†. Biol Reprod 2017; 97:784-797. [DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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24
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El Kennani S, Adrait A, Shaytan AK, Khochbin S, Bruley C, Panchenko AR, Landsman D, Pflieger D, Govin J. MS_HistoneDB, a manually curated resource for proteomic analysis of human and mouse histones. Epigenetics Chromatin 2017; 10:2. [PMID: 28096900 PMCID: PMC5223428 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-016-0109-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histones and histone variants are essential components of the nuclear chromatin. While mass spectrometry has opened a large window to their characterization and functional studies, their identification from proteomic data remains challenging. Indeed, the current interpretation of mass spectrometry data relies on public databases which are either not exhaustive (Swiss-Prot) or contain many redundant entries (UniProtKB or NCBI). Currently, no protein database is ideally suited for the analysis of histones and the complex array of mammalian histone variants. RESULTS We propose two proteomics-oriented manually curated databases for mouse and human histone variants. We manually curated >1700 gene, transcript and protein entries to produce a non-redundant list of 83 mouse and 85 human histones. These entries were annotated in accordance with the current nomenclature and unified with the "HistoneDB2.0 with Variants" database. This resource is provided in a format that can be directly read by programs used for mass spectrometry data interpretation. In addition, it was used to interpret mass spectrometry data acquired on histones extracted from mouse testis. Several histone variants, which had so far only been inferred by homology or detected at the RNA level, were detected by mass spectrometry, confirming the existence of their protein form. CONCLUSIONS Mouse and human histone entries were collected from different databases and subsequently curated to produce a non-redundant protein-centric resource, MS_HistoneDB. It is dedicated to the proteomic study of histones in mouse and human and will hopefully facilitate the identification and functional study of histone variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara El Kennani
- INSERM, U1038, CEA, BIG FR CNRS 3425-BGE, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Annie Adrait
- INSERM, U1038, CEA, BIG FR CNRS 3425-BGE, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Alexey K Shaytan
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - Saadi Khochbin
- CNRS UMR 5309 INSERM U1209, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Christophe Bruley
- INSERM, U1038, CEA, BIG FR CNRS 3425-BGE, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Anna R Panchenko
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - David Landsman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894 USA
| | - Delphine Pflieger
- INSERM, U1038, CEA, BIG FR CNRS 3425-BGE, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Jérôme Govin
- INSERM, U1038, CEA, BIG FR CNRS 3425-BGE, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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Champroux A, Torres-Carreira J, Gharagozloo P, Drevet JR, Kocer A. Mammalian sperm nuclear organization: resiliencies and vulnerabilities. Basic Clin Androl 2016; 26:17. [PMID: 28031843 PMCID: PMC5175393 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-016-0044-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm cells are remarkably complex and highly specialized compared to somatic cells. Their function is to deliver to the oocyte the paternal genomic blueprint along with a pool of proteins and RNAs so a new generation can begin. Reproductive success, including optimal embryonic development and healthy offspring, greatly depends on the integrity of the sperm chromatin structure. It is now well documented that DNA damage in sperm is linked to reproductive failures both in natural and assisted conception (Assisted Reproductive Technologies [ART]). This manuscript reviews recent important findings concerning - the unusual organization of mammalian sperm chromatin and its impact on reproductive success when modified. This review is focused on sperm chromatin damage and their impact on embryonic development and transgenerational inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Champroux
- GReD “Genetics, Reproduction & Development” Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6293, INSERM U1103, Clermont Université, BP60026 - TSA60026, 63178 Aubière cedex, France
| | - J. Torres-Carreira
- Centro Universitário Rio Preto, UNIRP, Rodovia Br153, Km 69, CEP15093-450 São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo Brazil
| | - P. Gharagozloo
- CellOxess LLC, 830 Bear Tavern Road, Ewing, NJ 08628 USA
| | - J. R. Drevet
- GReD “Genetics, Reproduction & Development” Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6293, INSERM U1103, Clermont Université, BP60026 - TSA60026, 63178 Aubière cedex, France
| | - A. Kocer
- GReD “Genetics, Reproduction & Development” Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6293, INSERM U1103, Clermont Université, BP60026 - TSA60026, 63178 Aubière cedex, France
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Moretti C, Vaiman D, Tores F, Cocquet J. Expression and epigenomic landscape of the sex chromosomes in mouse post-meiotic male germ cells. Epigenetics Chromatin 2016; 9:47. [PMID: 27795737 PMCID: PMC5081929 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-016-0099-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During meiosis, the X and Y chromosomes are transcriptionally silenced. The persistence of repressive chromatin marks on the sex chromatin after meiosis initially led to the assumption that XY gene silencing persists to some extent in spermatids. Considering the many reports of XY-linked genes expressed and needed in the post-meiotic phase of mouse spermatogenesis, it is still unclear whether or not the mouse sex chromatin is a repressive or permissive environment, after meiosis. RESULTS To determine the transcriptional and chromatin state of the sex chromosomes after meiosis, we re-analyzed ten ChIP-Seq datasets performed on mouse round spermatids and four RNA-seq datasets from male germ cells purified at different stages of spermatogenesis. For this, we used the last version of the genome (mm10/GRCm38) and included reads that map to several genomic locations in order to properly interpret the high proportion of sex chromosome-encoded multicopy genes. Our study shows that coverage of active epigenetic marks H3K4me3 and Kcr is similar on the sex chromosomes and on autosomes. The post-meiotic sex chromatin nevertheless differs from autosomal chromatin in its enrichment in H3K9me3 and its depletion in H3K27me3 and H4 acetylation. We also identified a posttranslational modification, H3K27ac, which specifically accumulates on the Y chromosome. In parallel, we found that the X and Y chromosomes are enriched in genes expressed post-meiotically and display a higher proportion of spermatid-specific genes compared to autosomes. Finally, we observed that portions of chromosome 14 and of the sex chromosomes share specific features, such as enrichment in H3K9me3 and the presence of multicopy genes that are specifically expressed in round spermatids, suggesting that parts of chromosome 14 are under the same evolutionary constraints than the sex chromosomes. CONCLUSIONS Based on our expression and epigenomic studies, we conclude that, after meiosis, the mouse sex chromosomes are no longer silenced but are nevertheless regulated differently than autosomes and accumulate different chromatin marks. We propose that post-meiotic selective constraints are at the basis of the enrichment of spermatid-specific genes and of the peculiar chromatin composition of the sex chromosomes and of parts of chromosome 14.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Moretti
- Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR8104, Paris, France ; Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Vaiman
- Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR8104, Paris, France ; Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Frederic Tores
- INSERM U1163, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Imagine, 24 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Julie Cocquet
- Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR8104, Paris, France ; Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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Hu YC, Namekawa SH. Functional significance of the sex chromosomes during spermatogenesis. Reproduction 2016; 149:R265-77. [PMID: 25948089 DOI: 10.1530/rep-14-0613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sex chromosomes arose from an ordinary pair of autosomes. Over hundreds of millions of years, they have evolved into highly divergent X and Y chromosomes and have become increasingly specialized for male reproduction. Both sex chromosomes have acquired and amplified testis-specific genes, suggestive of roles in spermatogenesis. To understand how the sex chromosome genes participate in the regulation of spermatogenesis, we review genes, including single-copy, multi-copy, and ampliconic genes, whose spermatogenic functions have been demonstrated in mouse genetic studies. Sex chromosomes are subject to chromosome-wide transcriptional silencing in meiotic and postmeiotic stages of spermatogenesis. We also discuss particular sex-linked genes that escape postmeiotic silencing and their evolutionary implications. The unique gene contents and genomic structures of the sex chromosomes reflect their strategies to express genes at various stages of spermatogenesis and reveal the driving forces that shape their evolution.Free Chinese abstract: A Chinese translation of this abstract is freely available at http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/149/6/R265/suppl/DC1.Free Japanese abstract: A Japanese translation of this abstract is freely available at http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/149/6/R265/suppl/DC2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Chiang Hu
- Division of Developmental BiologyDivision of Reproductive SciencesCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Division of Developmental BiologyDivision of Reproductive SciencesCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA Division of Developmental BiologyDivision of Reproductive SciencesCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
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Vernì F, Cenci G. The Drosophila histone variant H2A.V works in concert with HP1 to promote kinetochore-driven microtubule formation. Cell Cycle 2015; 14:577-88. [PMID: 25591068 DOI: 10.4161/15384101.2014.991176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike other organisms that have evolved distinct H2A variants for different functions, Drosophila melanogaster has just one variant which is capable of filling many roles. This protein, H2A.V, combines the features of the conserved variants H2A.Z and H2A.X in transcriptional control/heterochromatin assembly and DNA damage response, respectively. Here we show that mutations in the gene encoding H2A.V affect chromatin compaction and perturb chromosome segregation in Drosophila mitotic cells. A microtubule (MT) regrowth assay after cold exposure revealed that loss of H2A.V impairs the formation of kinetochore-driven (k) fibers, which can account for defects in chromosome segregation. All defects are rescued by a transgene encoding H2A.V that lacks the H2A.X function in the DNA damage response, suggesting that the H2A.Z (but not H2A.X) functionality of H2A.V is required for chromosome segregation. We also found that loss of H2A.V weakens HP1 localization, specifically at the pericentric heterochromatin of metaphase chromosomes. Interestingly, loss of HP1 yielded not only telomeric fusions but also mitotic defects similar to those seen in H2A.V null mutants, suggesting a role for HP1 in chromosome segregation. We also show that H2A.V precipitates HP1 from larval brain extracts indicating that both proteins are part of the same complex. Moreover, we found that the overexpression of HP1 rescues chromosome missegregation and defects in the kinetochore-driven k-fiber regrowth of H2A.V mutants indicating that both phenotypes are influenced by unbalanced levels of HP1. Collectively, our results suggest that H2A.V and HP1 work in concert to ensure kinetochore-driven MT growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiammetta Vernì
- a Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "C. Darwin" ; Sapienza Università di Roma ; Roma , Italy
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Imprinted X chromosome inactivation offers up a double dose of epigenetics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:14408-9. [PMID: 26578809 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520097112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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Royo H, Seitz H, ElInati E, Peters AHFM, Stadler MB, Turner JMA. Silencing of X-Linked MicroRNAs by Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005461. [PMID: 26509798 PMCID: PMC4624941 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During the pachytene stage of meiosis in male mammals, the X and Y chromosomes are transcriptionally silenced by Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation (MSCI). MSCI is conserved in therian mammals and is essential for normal male fertility. Transcriptomics approaches have demonstrated that in mice, most or all protein-coding genes on the X chromosome are subject to MSCI. However, it is unclear whether X-linked non-coding RNAs behave in a similar manner. The X chromosome is enriched in microRNA (miRNA) genes, with many exhibiting testis-biased expression. Importantly, high expression levels of X-linked miRNAs (X-miRNAs) have been reported in pachytene spermatocytes, indicating that these genes may escape MSCI, and perhaps play a role in the XY-silencing process. Here we use RNA FISH to examine X-miRNA expression in the male germ line. We find that, like protein-coding X-genes, X-miRNAs are expressed prior to prophase I and are thereafter silenced during pachynema. X-miRNA silencing does not occur in mouse models with defective MSCI. Furthermore, X-miRNAs are expressed at pachynema when present as autosomally integrated transgenes. Thus, we conclude that silencing of X-miRNAs during pachynema in wild type males is MSCI-dependent. Importantly, misexpression of X-miRNAs during pachynema causes spermatogenic defects. We propose that MSCI represents a chromosomal mechanism by which X-miRNAs, and other potential X-encoded repressors, can be silenced, thereby regulating genes with critical late spermatogenic functions. During male germ cell formation, the X and the Y chromosomes are inactivated. This process is conserved and it is essential for germ cell generation. It is believed that X/Y silencing affects all protein-coding genes, but the status of miRNAs and other non-coding genes needs further investigation. MicroRNAs from the X-chromosome (X-miRNAs) have been reported as potential silencing escapers, and they have been proposed to play a role in the inactivation mechanism itself. By looking at the individual cell level, we show unambiguously that X-miRNAs are subject to X/Y silencing, a finding that contradicts the current literature. Moreover, we generated mouse mutants in which we forced expression of X-miRNAs during X/Y silencing, and this lead to germ cell death. We propose that X/Y silencing can influence transcription of essential germ cell genes by regulating X-repressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Royo
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hervé Seitz
- Institute of Human Genetics, UPR 1142, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Elias ElInati
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michael B. Stadler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - James M. A. Turner
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Xist imprinting is promoted by the hemizygous (unpaired) state in the male germ line. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:14415-22. [PMID: 26489649 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1519528112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The long noncoding X-inactivation-specific transcript (Xist gene) is responsible for mammalian X-chromosome dosage compensation between the sexes, the process by which one of the two X chromosomes is inactivated in the female soma. Xist is essential for both the random and imprinted forms of X-chromosome inactivation. In the imprinted form, Xist is paternally marked to be expressed in female embryos. To investigate the mechanism of Xist imprinting, we introduce Xist transgenes (Tg) into the male germ line. Although ectopic high-level Xist expression on autosomes can be compatible with viability, transgenic animals demonstrate reduced fitness, subfertility, defective meiotic pairing, and other germ-cell abnormalities. In the progeny, paternal-specific expression is recapitulated by the 200-kb Xist Tg. However, Xist imprinting occurs efficiently only when it is in an unpaired or unpartnered state during male meiosis. When transmitted from a hemizygous father (+/Tg), the Xist Tg demonstrates paternal-specific expression in the early embryo. When transmitted by a homozygous father (Tg/Tg), the Tg fails to show imprinted expression. Thus, Xist imprinting is directed by sequences within a 200-kb X-linked region, and the hemizygous (unpaired) state of the Xist region promotes its imprinting in the male germ line.
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Sin HS, Kartashov AV, Hasegawa K, Barski A, Namekawa SH. Poised chromatin and bivalent domains facilitate the mitosis-to-meiosis transition in the male germline. BMC Biol 2015. [PMID: 26198001 PMCID: PMC4508805 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-015-0159-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The male germline transcriptome changes dramatically during the mitosis-to-meiosis transition to activate late spermatogenesis genes and to transiently suppress genes commonly expressed in somatic lineages and spermatogenesis progenitor cells, termed somatic/progenitor genes. Results These changes reflect epigenetic regulation. Induction of late spermatogenesis genes during spermatogenesis is facilitated by poised chromatin established in the stem cell phases of spermatogonia, whereas silencing of somatic/progenitor genes during meiosis and postmeiosis is associated with formation of bivalent domains which also allows the recovery of the somatic/progenitor program after fertilization. Importantly, during spermatogenesis mechanisms of epigenetic regulation on sex chromosomes are different from autosomes: X-linked somatic/progenitor genes are suppressed by meiotic sex chromosome inactivation without deposition of H3K27me3. Conclusions Our results suggest that bivalent H3K27me3 and H3K4me2/3 domains are not limited to developmental promoters (which maintain bivalent domains that are silent throughout the reproductive cycle), but also underlie reversible silencing of somatic/progenitor genes during the mitosis-to-meiosis transition in late spermatogenesis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0159-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Su Sin
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 49229, USA.,Present address: Department of Developmental Biology, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Andrey V Kartashov
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 49229, USA
| | - Kazuteru Hasegawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 49229, USA.,Present address: Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Artem Barski
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 49229, USA.
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 49229, USA.
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Monteiro FL, Baptista T, Amado F, Vitorino R, Jerónimo C, Helguero LA. Expression and functionality of histone H2A variants in cancer. Oncotarget 2015; 5:3428-43. [PMID: 25003966 PMCID: PMC4116493 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression includes the replacement of canonical histones for non-allelic histone variants, as well as their multiple targeting by postranslational modifications. H2A variants are highly conserved between species suggesting they execute important functions that cannot be accomplished by canonical histones. Altered expression of many H2A variants is associated to cancer. MacroH2A variants are enriched in heterocromatic foci and are necessary for chromatin condensation. MacroH2A1.1 and macroH2A1.2 are two mutually exclusive isoforms. MacroH2A1.1 and macroH2A2 inhibit proliferation and are associated with better cancer prognosis; while macroH2A1.2 is associated to cancer progression. H2AX variant functions as a sensor of DNA damage and defines the cellular response towards DNA repair or apoptosis; therefore, screening approaches and therapeutic options targeting H2AX have been proposed. H2A.Z is enriched in euchromatin, acting as a proto-oncogene with established roles in hormone responsive cancers and overexpressed in endocrine-resistant disease. Other H2A family members have also been found altered in cancer, but their function remains unknown. Substantial progress has been made to understand histone H2A variants, their contribution to normal cellular function and to cancer development and progression. Yet, implementation of high resolution mass spectrometry is needed to further our knowledge on highly homologous H2A variants expression and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Liliana Monteiro
- Mass Specrometry Center, Organic Chemistry and Natural Products Unit (QOPNA), Department of Chemistry, Universidade de Aveiro., Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | - Luisa A Helguero
- Mass Specrometry Center, Organic Chemistry and Natural Products Unit (QOPNA), Dep. of Chemistry, Universidade de Aveiro., Aveiro, Portugal
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Law C, Cheung P. Expression of Non-acetylatable H2A.Z in Myoblast Cells Blocks Myoblast Differentiation through Disruption of MyoD Expression. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:13234-49. [PMID: 25839232 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.595462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
H2A.Z is a histone H2A variant that is essential for viability in Tetrahymena and Drosophila and also during embryonic development of mice. Although implicated in diverse cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome segregation, and heterochromatin formation, its essential function in cells remains unknown. Cellular differentiation is part of the developmental process of multicellular organisms. To elucidate the roles of H2A.Z and H2A.Z acetylation in cellular differentiation, we examined the effects of expressing wild type (WT) or a non-acetylatable form of H2A.Z in the growth and differentiation of the myoblast C2C12 cell line. Ectopic expression of wild type or mutant H2A.Z resulted in distinct phenotypes in the differentiation of the C2C12 cells and the formation of myotubes. Most strikingly, expression of the H2A.Z non-acetylatable mutant (H2A.Z-Ac-mut) resulted in a complete block of myoblast differentiation. We determined that this phenotype is caused by a loss of MyoD expression in the Ac-mut-expressing cells prior to and after induction of differentiation. Moreover, chromatin accessibility assays showed that the promoter region of MyoD is less accessible in the differentiation-defective cells. Altogether, these new findings show that expression of the Ac-mut form of H2A.Z resulted in a dominant phenotype that blocked differentiation due to chromatin changes at the MyoD promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Law
- From the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada and
| | - Peter Cheung
- From the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada and the Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
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High histone variant H3.3 content in mouse prospermatogonia suggests a role in epigenetic reformatting. Chromosoma 2014; 123:587-95. [PMID: 25007861 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-014-0475-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2013] [Revised: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Histone variants can incorporate into the nucleosome outside of S-phase. Some are known to play important roles in mammalian germ cell development, this cell lineage being characterized by long phases of quiescence, a protracted meiotic phase, and genome-wide epigenetic reformatting events. The best known example of such an event is the global-scale erasure of DNA methylation in sexually indifferent primordial germ cells, then its re-establishment in fetal prospermatogonia and growing oocytes. Histone H3 and its post-translationally modified forms provide important waypoints in the establishment of epigenetic states. Using mass spectrometry and immunoblotting, we show that the H3.3 replacement variant is present at an unusually high amount in mouse prospermatogonia at the peak stage of global DNA methylation re-establishment. We speculate that H3.3 facilitates this process through achieving a greater level of accessibility of chromatin modifiers to DNA.
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Soboleva TA, Nekrasov M, Ryan DP, Tremethick DJ. Histone variants at the transcription start-site. Trends Genet 2014; 30:199-209. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2014.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Revised: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Every amino acid matters: essential contributions of histone variants to mammalian development and disease. Nat Rev Genet 2014; 15:259-71. [PMID: 24614311 DOI: 10.1038/nrg3673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Despite a conserved role for histones as general DNA packaging agents, it is now clear that another key function of these proteins is to confer variations in chromatin structure to ensure dynamic patterns of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes. The incorporation of histone variants is particularly important to this process. Recent knockdown and knockout studies in various cellular systems, as well as direct mutational evidence from human cancers, now suggest a crucial role for histone variant regulation in processes as diverse as differentiation and proliferation, meiosis and nuclear reprogramming. In this Review, we provide an overview of histone variants in the context of their unique functions during mammalian germ cell and embryonic development, and examine the consequences of aberrant histone variant regulation in human disease.
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Rathke C, Baarends WM, Awe S, Renkawitz-Pohl R. Chromatin dynamics during spermiogenesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1839:155-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2013.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Dynamics of the two heterochromatin types during imprinted X chromosome inactivation in vole Microtus levis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88256. [PMID: 24505450 PMCID: PMC3913780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In rodent female mammals, there are two forms of X-inactivation – imprinted and random which take place in extraembryonic and embryonic tissues, respectively. The inactive X-chromosome during random X-inactivation was shown to contain two types of facultative heterochromatin that alternate and do not overlap. However, chromatin structure of the inactive X-chromosome during imprinted X-inactivation, especially at early stages, is still not well understood. In this work, we studied chromatin modifications associated with the inactive X-chromosome at different stages of imprinted X-inactivation in a rodent, Microtus levis. It has been found that imprinted X-inactivation in vole occurs in a species-specific manner in two steps. The inactive X-chromosome at early stages of imprinted X-inactivation is characterized by accumulation of H3K9me3, HP1, H4K20me3, and uH2A, resembling to some extent the pattern of repressive chromatin modifications of meiotic sex chromatin. Later, the inactive X-chromosome recruits trimethylated H3K27 and acquires the two types of heterochromatin associated with random X-inactivation.
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40
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Kamikawa Y, Donohoe ME. The dynamics of X-chromosome inactivation in mouse development. Mol Reprod Dev 2013; 81:141-7. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasunao Kamikawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Burke Medical Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College; White Plains New York
| | - Mary E. Donohoe
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Burke Medical Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College; White Plains New York
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Nekrasov M, Soboleva TA, Jack C, Tremethick DJ. Histone variant selectivity at the transcription start site: H2A.Z or H2A.Lap1. Nucleus 2013; 4:431-8. [PMID: 24213378 PMCID: PMC3925687 DOI: 10.4161/nucl.26862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable attention has been given to the understanding of how nucleosomes are altered or removed from the transcription start site of RNA polymerase II genes to enable transcription to proceed. This has led to the view that for transcriptional activation to occur, the transcription start site (TSS) must become depleted of nucleosomes. However, we have shown that this is not the case with different unstable histone H2A variant-containing nucleosomes occupying the TSS under different physiological settings. For example, during mouse spermatogenesis we found that the mouse homolog of human H2A.Bbd, H2A.Lap1, is targeted to the TSS of active genes expressed during specific stages of spermatogenesis. On the other hand, we observed in trophoblast stem cells, a H2A.Z-containing nucleosome occupying the TSS of genes active in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Notably, this H2A.Z-containing nucleosome was different compared with other promoter specific H2A.Z nucleosomes by being heterotypic rather than being homotypic. In other words, it did not contain the expected two copies of H2A.Z per nucleosome but only one (i.e., H2A.Z/H2A rather than H2A.Z/H2A.Z). Given these observations, we wondered whether the histone variant composition of a nucleosome at an active TSS could in fact vary in the same cell type. To investigate this possibility, we performed H2A.Z ChIP-H2A reChIP assays in the mouse testis and compared this data with our testis H2A.Lap1 ChIP-seq data. Indeed, we find that different promoters involved in the expression of genes involved in distinct biological processes can contain either H2A.Z/H2A or H2A.Lap1. This argues that specific mechanisms exist, which can determine whether H2A.Z or H2A.Lap1 is targeted to the TSS of an active gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Nekrasov
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research; The Australian National University; Canberra, Australia
| | - Tatiana A Soboleva
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research; The Australian National University; Canberra, Australia
| | - Cameron Jack
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research; The Australian National University; Canberra, Australia
| | - David J Tremethick
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research; The Australian National University; Canberra, Australia
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42
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Ontoso D, Kauppi L, Keeney S, San-Segundo PA. Dynamics of DOT1L localization and H3K79 methylation during meiotic prophase I in mouse spermatocytes. Chromosoma 2013; 123:147-64. [PMID: 24105599 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-013-0438-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
During meiotic prophase I, interactions between maternal and paternal chromosomes, under checkpoint surveillance, establish connections between homologs that promote their accurate distribution to meiotic progeny. In human, faulty meiosis causes aneuploidy resulting in miscarriages and genetic diseases. Meiotic processes occur in the context of chromatin; therefore, histone post-translational modifications are expected to play important roles. Here, we report the cytological distribution of the evolutionarily conserved DOT1L methyltransferase and the different H3K79 methylation states resulting from its activity (mono-, di- and tri-methylation; H3K79me1, me2 and me3, respectively) during meiotic prophase I in mouse spermatocytes. In the wild type, whereas low amounts of H3K79me1 are rather uniformly present throughout prophase I, levels of DOT1L, H3K79me2 and H3K79me3 exhibit a notable increase from pachynema onwards, but with differential subnuclear distribution patterns. The heterochromatic centromeric regions and the sex body are enriched for H3K79me3. In contrast, H3K79me2 is present all over the chromatin, but is largely excluded from the sex body despite the accumulation of DOT1L. In meiosis-defective mouse mutants, the increase of DOT1L and H3K79me is blocked at the same stage where meiosis is arrested. H3K79me patterns, combined with the cytological analysis of the H3.3, γH2AX, macroH2A and H2A.Z histone variants, are consistent with a differential role for these epigenetic marks in male mouse meiotic prophase I. We propose that H3K79me2 is related to transcriptional reactivation on autosomes during pachynema, whereas H3K79me3 may contribute to the maintenance of repressive chromatin at centromeric regions and the sex body.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ontoso
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and University of Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
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43
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Royo H, Prosser H, Ruzankina Y, Mahadevaiah SK, Cloutier JM, Baumann M, Fukuda T, Höög C, Tóth A, de Rooij DG, Bradley A, Brown EJ, Turner JMA. ATR acts stage specifically to regulate multiple aspects of mammalian meiotic silencing. Genes Dev 2013; 27:1484-94. [PMID: 23824539 PMCID: PMC3713429 DOI: 10.1101/gad.219477.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, homologs that fail to synapse during meiosis are transcriptionally inactivated. This process, meiotic silencing, drives inactivation of the heterologous XY bivalent in male germ cells (meiotic sex chromosome inactivation [MSCI]) and is thought to act as a meiotic surveillance mechanism. The checkpoint protein ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) localizes to unsynapsed chromosomes, but its role in the initiation and maintenance of meiotic silencing is unknown. Here we show that ATR has multiple roles in silencing. ATR first regulates HORMA (Hop1, Rev7, and Mad2) domain protein HORMAD1/2 phosphorylation and localization of breast cancer I (BRCA1) and ATR cofactors ATR-interacting peptide (ATRIP)/topoisomerase 2-binding protein 1 (TOPBP1) at unsynapsed axes. Later, it acts as an adaptor, transducing signaling at unsynapsed axes into surrounding chromatin in a manner that requires interdependence with mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1 (MDC1) and H2AFX. Finally, ATR catalyzes histone H2AFX phosphorylation, the epigenetic event leading to gene inactivation. Using a novel genetic strategy in which MSCI is used to silence a chosen gene in pachytene, we show that ATR depletion does not disrupt the maintenance of silencing and that silencing comprises two phases: The first is dynamic and reversible, and the second is stable and irreversible. Our work identifies a role for ATR in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and presents a new technique for ablating gene function in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Royo
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
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Abstract
The conversion of male germ cell chromatin to a nucleoprotamine structure is fundamental to the life cycle, yet the underlying molecular details remain obscure. Here we show that an essential step is the genome-wide incorporation of TH2B, a histone H2B variant of hitherto unknown function. Using mouse models in which TH2B is depleted or C-terminally modified, we show that TH2B directs the final transformation of dissociating nucleosomes into protamine-packed structures. Depletion of TH2B induces compensatory mechanisms that permit histone removal by up-regulating H2B and programming nucleosome instability through targeted histone modifications, including lysine crotonylation and arginine methylation. Furthermore, after fertilization, TH2B reassembles onto the male genome during protamine-to-histone exchange. Thus, TH2B is a unique histone variant that plays a key role in the histone-to-protamine packing of the male genome and guides genome-wide chromatin transitions that both precede and follow transmission of the male genome to the egg.
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Sin HS, Namekawa SH. The great escape: Active genes on inactive sex chromosomes and their evolutionary implications. Epigenetics 2013; 8:887-92. [PMID: 23880818 DOI: 10.4161/epi.25672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms precisely regulate sex chromosome inactivation as well as genes that escape the silencing process. In male germ cells, DNA damage response factor RNF8 establishes active epigenetic modifications on the silent sex chromosomes during meiosis, and activates escape genes during a state of sex chromosome-wide silencing in postmeiotic spermatids. During the course of evolution, the gene content of escape genes in postmeiotic spermatids recently diverged on the sex chromosomes. This evolutionary feature mirrors the epigenetic processes of sex chromosomes in germ cells. In this article, we describe how epigenetic processes have helped to shape the evolution of sex chromosome-linked genes. Furthermore, we compare features of escape genes on sex chromosomes in male germ cells to escape genes located on the single X chromosome silenced during X-inactivation in females, clarifying the distinct evolutionary implications between male and female escape genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Su Sin
- Division of Reproductive Sciences; Division of Developmental Biology; Perinatal Institute; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, OH USA; Department of Pediatrics; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, OH USA
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46
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Lee JT, Bartolomei MS. X-inactivation, imprinting, and long noncoding RNAs in health and disease. Cell 2013; 152:1308-23. [PMID: 23498939 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 498] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation and genomic imprinting are classic epigenetic processes that cause disease when not appropriately regulated in mammals. Whereas X chromosome inactivation evolved to solve the problem of gene dosage, the purpose of genomic imprinting remains controversial. Nevertheless, the two phenomena are united by allelic control of large gene clusters, such that only one copy of a gene is expressed in every cell. Allelic regulation poses significant challenges because it requires coordinated long-range control in cis and stable propagation over time. Long noncoding RNAs have emerged as a common theme, and their contributions to diseases of imprinting and the X chromosome have become apparent. Here, we review recent advances in basic biology, the connections to disease, and preview potential therapeutic strategies for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannie T Lee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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47
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Abstract
Chromatin acts as an organizer and indexer of genomic DNA and is a highly dynamic and regulated structure with properties directly related to its constituent parts. Histone variants are abundant components of chromatin that replace canonical histones in a subset of nucleosomes, thereby altering nucleosomal characteristics. The present review focuses on the H2A variant histones, summarizing current knowledge of how H2A variants can introduce chemical and functional heterogeneity into chromatin, the positions that nucleosomes containing H2A variants occupy in eukaryotic genomes, and the regulation of these localization patterns.
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48
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Sin HS, Barski A, Zhang F, Kartashov AV, Nussenzweig A, Chen J, Andreassen PR, Namekawa SH. RNF8 regulates active epigenetic modifications and escape gene activation from inactive sex chromosomes in post-meiotic spermatids. Genes Dev 2013; 26:2737-48. [PMID: 23249736 DOI: 10.1101/gad.202713.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosomes are uniquely subject to chromosome-wide silencing during male meiosis, and silencing persists into post-meiotic spermatids. Against this background, a select set of sex chromosome-linked genes escapes silencing and is activated in post-meiotic spermatids. Here, we identify a novel mechanism that regulates escape gene activation in an environment of chromosome-wide silencing in murine germ cells. We show that RNF8-dependent ubiquitination of histone H2A during meiosis establishes active epigenetic modifications, including dimethylation of H3K4 on the sex chromosomes. RNF8-dependent active epigenetic memory, defined by dimethylation of H3K4, persists throughout meiotic division. Various active epigenetic modifications are subsequently established on the sex chromosomes in post-meiotic spermatids. These RNF8-dependent modifications include trimethylation of H3K4, histone lysine crotonylation (Kcr), and incorporation of the histone variant H2AFZ. RNF8-dependent epigenetic programming regulates escape gene activation from inactive sex chromosomes in post-meiotic spermatids. Kcr accumulates at transcriptional start sites of sex-linked genes activated in an RNF8-dependent manner, and a chromatin conformational change is associated with RNF8-dependent epigenetic programming. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this RNF8-dependent pathway is distinct from that which recognizes DNA double-strand breaks. Our results establish a novel connection between a DNA damage response factor (RNF8) and epigenetic programming, specifically in establishing active epigenetic modifications and gene activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Su Sin
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
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49
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Balancing the dose in the mouse. Results Probl Cell Differ 2013; 55:231-45. [PMID: 22918810 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-30406-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Organisms that use a chromosomal basis of sex determination have a problem of gene inequality. In the mouse, this dimorphism is evident by the presence of two X-chromosomes in females, while males have a single X- and a single Y-chromosome. To balance this disparity, one of the two female X-chromosomes is transcriptionally silenced to neutralize the gene dose with the XY male. Dosage compensation in mammals is known as X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and is a crucial early developmental process. XCI is an example of epigenetics: a phenotype resulting in changes on a chromosome without a change in nucleic acid sequence. Studies in mouse embryology and genetics have answered many questions about the process of balancing the dose. In this chapter, I highlight how the mouse dosage compensates the gene disparity between XX females and XY males in a crucial epigenetic process called X-chromosome inactivation (XCI).
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50
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Evolutionary origin of chromatin remodeling for dosage compensation: Lessons from epigenetic modifications of X chromosomes in germ cells of Drosophila, C.elegans and Mammals. THE NUCLEUS 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s13237-012-0054-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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