scholarly journals A heterochromatic histone methyltransferase lowers nucleosome occupancy at euchromatic promoters

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.M. Chen ◽  
T.B. Sackton ◽  
B. Mutlu ◽  
J. Wang ◽  
S. Keppler-Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleosome Occupancy ◽  
Histone H3 ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Muscle Gene Expression ◽  
Chromatin Configuration ◽  
Muscle Gene

AbstractH3K9me3 (histone H3 modified with tri-methylation at lysine 9) is a hallmark of transcriptional silencing and heterochromatin. However, its global effects on the genome, including euchromatin, are less well understood. Here we develop Formaldehyde-Assisted Identification of Regulatory Elements (FAIRE) for C. elegans to examine the chromatin configuration of mutants that lack virtually all H3K9me3, while leaving H3K9me1 and H3K9me2 intact. We find that nucleosomes are mildly disrupted, and levels of H3K9me2 and H3K27me3 rise in mutant embryos. In addition to these expected changes, the most dramatic change occurs in euchromatin: many regions encompassing transcription start sites (TSSs) gain an average of two nucleosomes in mutants. The affected regions normally lack H3K9me3, revealing a locus non-autonomous role for H3K9me3. Affected TSSs are associated with genes that are active in epithelia and muscles, and implicated in development, locomotion, morphogenesis and transcription. Mutant embryos develop normally under ideal laboratory conditions but die when challenged, with defects in morphogenesis and development. Our findings reveal that H3K9me3 protects transcription start sites within euchromatin from nucleosome deposition. These results may be relevant to mammals, where diseases that disrupt the nuclear lamina and heterochromatin can alter epithelial and muscle gene expression.

Transcription shapes 3D chromatin organization by interacting with loop-extruding cohesin complexes

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward J Banigan ◽  
Wen Tang ◽  
Aafke A van den Berg ◽  
Roman R Stocsits ◽  
Gordana Wutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Organization ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
General Shape ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Double Knockout ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Contact Patterns ◽  
New Type ◽  
Active Transcription ◽  
Distal Regulatory Elements

Cohesin organizes mammalian interphase chromosomes by reeling chromatin fibers into dynamic loops (Banigan and Mirny, 2020; Davidson et al., 2019; Kim et al., 2019; Yatskevich et al., 2019). "Loop extrusion" is obstructed when cohesin encounters a properly oriented CTCF protein (Busslinger et al., 2017; de Wit et al., 2015; Fudenberg et al., 2016; Nora et al., 2017; Sanborn et al., 2015; Wutz et al., 2017), and recent work indicates that other factors, such as the replicative helicase MCM (Dequeker et al., 2020), can also act as barriers to loop extrusion. It has been proposed that transcription relocalizes (Busslinger et al., 2017; Glynn et al., 2004; Lengronne et al., 2004) or interferes with cohesin (Heinz et al., 2018; Jeppsson et al., 2020; Valton et al., 2021; S. Zhang et al., 2021), and that active transcription start sites function as cohesin loading sites (Busslinger et al., 2017; Kagey et al., 2010; Zhu et al., 2021; Zuin et al., 2014), but how these effects, and transcription in general, shape chromatin is unknown. To determine whether transcription can modulate loop extrusion, we studied cells in which the primary extrusion barriers could be removed by CTCF depletion and cohesin's residence time and abundance on chromatin could be increased by Wapl knockout. We found evidence that transcription directly interacts with loop extrusion through a novel "moving barrier" mechanism, but not by loading cohesin at active promoters. Hi-C experiments showed intricate, cohesin-dependent genomic contact patterns near actively transcribed genes, and in CTCF-Wapl double knockout (DKO) cells (Busslinger et al., 2017), genomic contacts were enriched between sites of transcription-driven cohesin localization ("cohesin islands"). Similar patterns also emerged in polymer simulations in which transcribing RNA polymerases (RNAPs) acted as "moving barriers" by impeding, slowing, or pushing loop-extruding cohesins. The model predicts that cohesin does not load preferentially at promoters and instead accumulates at TSSs due to the barrier function of RNAPs. We tested this prediction by new ChIP-seq experiments, which revealed that the "cohesin loader" Nipbl (Ciosk et al., 2000) co-localizes with cohesin, but, unlike in previous reports (Busslinger et al., 2017; Kagey et al., 2010; Zhu et al., 2021; Zuin et al., 2014), Nipbl did not accumulate at active promoters. We propose that RNAP acts as a new type of barrier to loop extrusion that, unlike CTCF, is not stationary in its precise genomic position, but is itself dynamically translocating and relocalizes cohesin along DNA. In this way, loop extrusion could enable translocating RNAPs to maintain contacts with distal regulatory elements, allowing transcriptional activity to shape genomic functional organization.

scholarly journals PCAF Involvement in Lamin A/C-HDAC2 Interplay during the Early Phase of Muscle Differentiation

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1735
Author(s):  
Spartaco Santi ◽  
Vittoria Cenni ◽  
Cristina Capanni ◽  
Giovanna Lattanzi ◽  
Elisabetta Mattioli
Keyword(s):  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Nuclear Lamina ◽  
Muscle Differentiation ◽  
Lamin A ◽  
Histone Deacetylase 2 ◽  
Muscle Gene Expression ◽  
Muscle Gene ◽  
Human Muscle Cells

Lamin A/C has been implicated in the epigenetic regulation of muscle gene expression through dynamic interaction with chromatin domains and epigenetic enzymes. We previously showed that lamin A/C interacts with histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2). In this study, we deepened the relevance and regulation of lamin A/C-HDAC2 interaction in human muscle cells. We present evidence that HDAC2 binding to lamin A/C is related to HDAC2 acetylation on lysine 75 and expression of p300-CBP associated factor (PCAF), an acetyltransferase known to acetylate HDAC2. Our findings show that lamin A and farnesylated prelamin A promote PCAF recruitment to the nuclear lamina and lamin A/C binding in human myoblasts committed to myogenic differentiation, while protein interaction is decreased in differentiating myotubes. Interestingly, PCAF translocation to the nuclear envelope, as well as lamin A/C-PCAF interaction, are reduced by transient expression of lamin A mutated forms causing Emery Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Consistent with this observation, lamin A/C interaction with both PCAF and HDAC2 is significantly reduced in Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy myoblasts. Overall, these results support the view that, by recruiting PCAF and HDAC2 in a molecular platform, lamin A/C might contribute to regulate their epigenetic activity required in the early phase of muscle differentiation.

scholarly journals A Chinese hamster transcription start site atlas that enables targeted editing of CHO cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Shamie ◽  
Sascha H Duttke ◽  
Karen J la Cour Karottki ◽  
Claudia Z Han ◽  
Anders H Hansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Start Site ◽  
Cho Cells ◽  
Genome Engineering ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Start Site ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Silent Genes

Abstract Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are widely used for producing biopharmaceuticals, and engineering gene expression in CHO is key to improving drug quality and affordability. However, engineering gene expression or activating silent genes requires accurate annotation of the underlying regulatory elements and transcription start sites (TSSs). Unfortunately, most TSSs in the published Chinese hamster genome sequence were computationally predicted and are frequently inaccurate. Here, we use nascent transcription start site sequencing methods to revise TSS annotations for 15 308 Chinese hamster genes and 3034 non-coding RNAs based on experimental data from CHO-K1 cells and 10 hamster tissues. We further capture tens of thousands of putative transcribed enhancer regions with this method. Our revised TSSs improves upon the RefSeq annotation by revealing core sequence features of gene regulation such as the TATA box and the Initiator and, as exemplified by targeting the glycosyltransferase gene Mgat3, facilitate activating silent genes by CRISPRa. Together, we envision our revised annotation and data will provide a rich resource for the CHO community, improve genome engineering efforts and aid comparative and evolutionary studies.

scholarly journals ARGONAUTE2 cooperates with SWI/SNF complex to determine nucleosome occupancy at human Transcription Start Sites

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 1498-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Carissimi ◽  
Ilaria Laudadio ◽  
Emanuela Cipolletta ◽  
Silvia Gioiosa ◽  
Marija Mihailovich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleosome Occupancy ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Transcription Start Sites

scholarly journals Pluronic gel-based burrowing assay for rapid assessment of neuromuscular health in C. elegans

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Lesanpezeshki ◽  
Jennifer E. Hewitt ◽  
Ricardo Laranjeiro ◽  
Adam Antebi ◽  
Monica Driscoll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Muscle Gene Expression ◽  
Assay Performance ◽  
Type Population ◽  
Muscle Gene

Abstract Whole-organism phenotypic assays are central to the assessment of neuromuscular function and health in model organisms such as the nematode C. elegans. In this study, we report a new assay format for engaging C. elegans in burrowing that enables rapid assessment of nematode neuromuscular health. In contrast to agar environments that pose specific drawbacks for characterization of C. elegans burrowing ability, here we use the optically transparent and biocompatible Pluronic F-127 gel that transitions from liquid to gel at room temperature, enabling convenient and safe handling of animals. The burrowing assay methodology involves loading animals at the bottom of well plates, casting a liquid-phase of Pluronic on top that solidifies via a modest temperature upshift, enticing animals to reach the surface via chemotaxis to food, and quantifying the relative success animals have in reaching the chemoattractant. We study the influence of Pluronic concentration, gel height and chemoattractant choice to optimize assay performance. To demonstrate the simplicity of the assay workflow and versatility, we show its novel application in multiple areas including (i) evaluating muscle mutants with defects in dense bodies and/or M-lines (pfn-3, atn-1, uig-1, dyc-1, zyx-1, unc-95 and tln-1), (ii) tuning assay conditions to reveal changes in the mutant gei-8, (iii) sorting of fast burrowers in a genetically-uniform wild-type population for later quantitation of their distinct muscle gene expression, and (iv) testing proteotoxic animal models of Huntington and Parkinson’s disease. Results from our studies show that stimulating animals to navigate in a dense environment that offers mechanical resistance to three-dimensional locomotion challenges the neuromuscular system in a manner distinct from standard crawling and thrashing assays. Our simple and high throughput burrowing assay can provide insight into molecular mechanisms for maintenance of neuromuscular health and facilitate screening for therapeutic targets.

scholarly journals Multiple positive and negative regulatory elements in the promoter of the mouse homeobox gene Hoxb-4.

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 8143-8154 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Gutman ◽  
J Gilthorpe ◽  
P W Rigby
Keyword(s):  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cells ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Specific Regulation

Mouse Hoxb-4 (Hox-2.6) is a homeobox gene that belongs to a family which also includes Hoxa-4, Hoxc-4, and Hoxd-4 and that is related to the Deformed gene in Drosophila melanogaster. We have determined the sequence of 1.2 kb of 5' flanking DNA of mouse Hoxb-4 and by nuclease S1 and primer extension experiments identified two transcription start sites, P1 and P2, 285 and 207 nucleotides upstream of the ATG initiator codon, respectively. We have shown that this region harbors two independent promoters which drive CAT expression in several different cell lines with various efficiencies, suggesting that they are subject to cell-type-specific regulation. Through detailed mutational analysis, we have identified several cis-regulatory elements, located upstream and downstream of the transcription start sites. They include two cell-type-specific negative regulatory elements, which are more active in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells than in neuroblastoma cells (regions a and d at -226 to -186 and +169 to +205, respectively). An additional negative regulatory element has been delimited (region b between +22 and +113). Positive regulation is achieved by binding of HoxTF, a previously unknown factor, to the sequence GCCATTGG (+148 to +155) that is essential for efficient Hoxb-4 expression. We have also defined the minimal promoter sequences and found that they include two 12-bp initiator elements centered around each transcription start site. The complex architecture of the Hoxb-4 promoter provides the framework for fine-tuned transcriptional regulation during embryonic development.

scholarly journals Comprehensive profiling of the fission yeast transcription start site activity during stress and media response

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malte Thodberg ◽  
Axel Thieffry ◽  
Jette Bornholdt ◽  
Mette Boyd ◽  
Christian Holmberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fission Yeast ◽  
Nucleosome Occupancy ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Proximal Promoter ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Expression Response ◽  
Cap Analysis

AbstractFission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, is an attractive model organism for transcriptional and chromatin biology research. Such research is contingent on accurate annotation of transcription start sites (TSSs). However, comprehensive genome-wide maps of TSSs and their usage across commonly applied laboratory conditions and treatments for S. pombe are lacking. To this end, we profiled TSS activity genome-wide in S. pombe cultures exposed to heat shock, nitrogen starvation, hydrogen peroxide and two commonly applied media, YES and EMM2, using Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE). CAGE-based annotation of TSSs is substantially more accurate than existing PomBase annotation; on average, CAGE TSSs fall 50-75 bp downstream of PomBase TSSs and co-localize with nucleosome boundaries. In contrast to higher eukaryotes, S. pombe does not show sharp and dispersed TSS distributions. Our data recapitulate known S. pombe stress expression response patterns and identify stress- and mediaresponsive alternative TSSs. Notably, alteration of growth medium induces changes of similar magnitude as some stressors. We show a link between nucleosome occupancy and genetic variation, and that the proximal promoter region is genetically diverse between S. pombe strains. Our detailed TSS map constitute a central resource for S. pombe gene regulation research.

Temporal pattern of skeletal muscle gene expression following endurance exercise in Alaskan sled dogs

2009 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 605-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric P. Brass ◽  
Mette A. Peters ◽  
Kenneth W. Hinchcliff ◽  
Yudong D. He ◽  
Roger G. Ulrich
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Endurance Exercise ◽  
Temporal Pattern ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Biceps Femoris Muscle ◽  
Muscle Gene Expression ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Sled Dogs ◽  
Muscle Gene

Muscle responses to exercise are complex and include acute responses to exercise-induced injury, as well as longer term adaptive training responses. Using Alaskan sled dogs as an experimental model, changes in muscle gene expression were analyzed to test the hypotheses that important regulatory elements of the muscle's adaptation to exercise could be identified based on the temporal pattern of gene expression. Dogs were randomly assigned to undertake a 160-km run ( n = 9), or to remain at rest ( n = 4). Biceps femoris muscle was obtained from the unexercised dogs and two dogs at each of 2, 6, and 12 h after the exercise, and from three dogs 24 h after exercise. RNA was extracted and microarray analysis used to define gene transcriptional changes. The changes in gene expression after exercise occurred in a temporal pattern. Overall, 569, 469, 316, and 223 transcripts were differentially expressed at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h postexercise, respectively, compared with unexercised dogs (based on P ≤ 0.01 and an absolute fold change of ≥1.5). Increases in a number of known transcriptional regulators, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α, cAMP-responsive element modulator, and CCAAT enhancer binding protein-δ, and potential signaling molecules, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, dermokine, and suprabasin, were observed 2 h after exercise. Biological functional analysis suggested changes in expression of genes with known functional relationships, including genes involved in muscle remodeling and growth, intermediary metabolism, and immune regulation. Sustained endurance exercise by Alaskan sled dogs induces coordinated changes in gene expression with a clear temporal pattern. RNA expression profiling has the potential to identify novel regulatory mechanisms and responses to exercise stimuli.

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