scholarly journals Key gene regulatory sequences with distinctive ontological signatures associate with differentially endonuclease-accessible mouse sperm chromatin

Reproduction ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Saida ◽  
David Iles ◽  
Abdul Elnefati ◽  
Martin Brinkworth ◽  
David Miller

Using a well-established endonuclease-based chromatin dissection procedure in conjunction with both experimental comparative genome hybridisation (CGH) array profiling andin silicodata mining, we show that mouse spermatozoa contain chromatin that is sensitive and resistant to digestion with micrococcal nuclease (MNase). Sequences represented in the micrococcal nuclease digestion solubilised (MNDS) but not the MND insoluble (MNDI) chromatin are strongly enriched in chromosomal regions of high gene density. Furthermore, by fluorescencein situhybridisation (FISH) analysis, we show that MNDS and MNDI DNAs occupy distinct domains of decondensed mouse sperm nuclei that may also retain abundant histones. More detailedin silicoanalysis of CGH probe location in relation to known promoters and sequences recognised by CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) shows a significant excess of both in MNDS chromatin. A functional analysis of gene promoters reveals strong ontological signatures for ion transport on methylated promoters associated with CTCF binding sequences in MNDS chromatin. Sensory perception is the only strong ontological signature present in MNDI chromatin, driven by promoters that are not associated with CTCF regardless of their methylation status.

Reproduction ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 142 (5) ◽  
pp. 757
Author(s):  
Myriam Saida ◽  
David Iles ◽  
Abdul Elnefati ◽  
Martin Brinkworth ◽  
David Miller

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 611 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bauer ◽  
C. Leigh ◽  
E. Peirce ◽  
W. G. Breed

In most mammals, post-testicular sperm maturation is completed in the caput and corpus epididymides, with storage occurring in the cauda epididymides. However, in the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, epididymal sperm transit is rapid and some sperm storage occurs in the distal region of the vas deferens. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the rapid progression of sperm into the vas deferens in the hopping mouse results in late sperm maturation. To determine this, sperm nuclei from the epididymides and vasa deferentia of laboratory and hopping mice were compared for: (1) thiol content after staining with monobromobimane (mBBr); (2) chromatin resistance to acid denaturation following incubation with acetic alcohol and staining with acridine orange; and (3) chromatin resistance to in vitro decondensation after incubation with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It was found that, whereas laboratory mouse sperm completed chromatin condensation by the time they reached the cauda epididymidis, hopping mouse sperm nuclei from the vas deferens showed significantly less mBBr fluorescence and a greater proportion of sperm were resistant to decondensation with SDS than those in the cauda epididymidis. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that, unlike in the laboratory mouse, hopping mouse chromatin condensation of spermatozoa continues in the vas deferens and this may be due, at least in part, to rapid epididymal transit.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 738
Author(s):  
Viviana Genualdo ◽  
Federica Turri ◽  
Flavia Pizzi ◽  
Bianca Castiglioni ◽  
Donata Marletta ◽  
...  

A wide range of mammalian hybrids has recently been found by chance or through population-screening programs, but studies about their fertilizing capacity remain scarce and incomplete. Most of them are assumed to be sterile due to meiotic arrest caused by the failure of chromosome pairings. In this study, we evaluated both sperm meiotic segregation, by 2D fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, and sperm quality (Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay) by flow cytometer in a fertile boar–pig hybrid (2n = 37,XY) originating from a Nero Siciliano pig breed (Sus scrofa domesticus) and a wild boar (Sus scrofa ferus). Spermatozoa were also separated by a dual-layer (75–60%) discontinuous Percoll gradient, resulting in two fractions with a significantly better overall quality in the motile sperm fraction. These data were confirmed by FISH analysis also, where the frequencies of spermatozoa with a regular chromosome composition were 27% in total sperm fraction and 64% in motile sperm fraction. We also evaluated the nuclear architecture in all counted spermatozoa, showing a chromatin distribution changing when chromosome abnormalities occur. Our results demonstrate that the chromosome pairing has a minimal effect on the sperm segregation and semen quality of a boar–pig hybrid, making it fertile and harmful for the conservation of autochthonous pig breeds.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 630 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Johnston ◽  
C. López-Fernández ◽  
F. Arroyo ◽  
J. L. Fernández ◽  
J. Gosálvez

Herein we report a method of assessing DNA fragmentation in the saltwater crocodile using the sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCDt) after including frozen–thawed spermatozoa in a microgel (Halomax; Halotech DNA, Madrid, Spain). Following controlled protein depletion, which included a reducing agent, sperm nuclei with fragmented DNA showed a homogeneous and larger halo of chromatin dispersion with a corresponding reduced nucleoid core compared with sperm with non-fragmented DNA. The presence of DNA damage was confirmed directly by incorporation of modified nucleotides using in situ nick translation (ISNT) and indirectly by studying the correlation of the SCDt with the results of DNA damage visualisation using a two-tailed comet assay (r = 0.90; P = 0.037). Results of the SCDt immediately following thawing and after 5 h incubation at 37°C in order to induce a range of DNA damage revealed individual crocodile differences in both the baseline level of DNA damage and DNA longevity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2680
Author(s):  
Maria Panagopoulou ◽  
Antonia Cheretaki ◽  
Makrina Karaglani ◽  
Ioanna Balgkouranidou ◽  
Eirini Biziota ◽  
...  

The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system has been strongly associated with gastrointestinal pathophysiology, including colorectal cancer (CRC). We previously showed that altered expression of CRF receptors (CRFRs) in the colon critically affects CRC progression and aggressiveness through regulation of colonic inflammation. Here, we aimed to assess the potential of CRFR methylation levels as putative biomarkers in CRC. In silico methylation analysis of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) and CRF receptor 2 (CRFR2) was performed using methylome data derived by CRC and Crohn’s disease (CD) tissues and CRC-derived circulating cell-free DNAs (ccfDNAs). In total, 32 and 33 differentially methylated sites of CpGs (DMCs) emerged in CRFR1 and CRFR2, respectively, between healthy and diseased tissues. The methylation patterns were verified in patient-derived ccfDNA samples by qMSP and associated with clinicopathological characteristics. An automated machine learning (AutoML) technology was applied to ccfDNA samples for classification analysis. In silico analysis revealed increased methylation of both CRFRs in CRC tissue and ccfDNA-derived datasets. CRFR1 hypermethylation was also noticed in gene body DMCs of CD patients. CRFR1 hypermethylation was further validated in CRC adjuvant-derived ccfDNA samples, whereas CRFR1 hypomethylation, observed in metastasis-derived ccfDNAs, was correlated to disease aggressiveness and adverse prognostic characteristics. AutoML analysis based on CRFRs methylation status revealed a three-feature high-performing biosignature for CRC diagnosis with an estimated AUC of 0.929. Monitoring of CRFRs methylation-based signature in CRC tissues and ccfDNAs may be of high diagnostic and prognostic significance in CRC.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessilyn Dunn ◽  
Haiwei Qiu ◽  
Soyeon Kim ◽  
Daudi Jjingo ◽  
Ryan Hoffman ◽  
...  

Atherosclerosis preferentially occurs in arterial regions of disturbed blood flow (d-flow), which alters gene expression, endothelial function, and atherosclerosis. Here, we show that d-flow regulates genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)-dependent manner. We found that d-flow induced expression of DNMT1, but not DNMT3a or DNMT3b, in mouse arterial endothelium in vivo and in cultured endothelial cells by oscillatory shear (OS) compared to unidirectional laminar shear in vitro. The DNMT inhibitor 5-Aza-2’deoxycytidine (5Aza) or DNMT1 siRNA significantly reduced OS-induced endothelial inflammation. Moreover, 5Aza reduced lesion formation in two atherosclerosis models using ApoE-/- mice (western diet for 3 months and the partial carotid ligation model with western diet for 3 weeks). To identify the 5Aza mechanisms, we conducted two genome-wide studies: reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and transcript microarray using endothelial-enriched gDNA and RNA, respectively, obtained from the partially-ligated left common carotid artery (LCA exposed to d-flow) and the right contralateral control (RCA exposed to s-flow) of mice treated with 5Aza or vehicle. D-flow induced DNA hypermethylation in 421 gene promoters, which was significantly prevented by 5Aza in 335 genes. Systems biological analyses using the RRBS and the transcriptome data revealed 11 mechanosensitive genes whose promoters were hypermethylated by d-flow but rescued by 5Aza treatment. Of those, five genes contain hypermethylated cAMP-response-elements in their promoters, including the transcription factors HoxA5 and Klf3. Their methylation status could serve as a mechanosensitive master switch in endothelial gene expression. Our results demonstrate that d-flow controls epigenomic DNA methylation patterns in a DNMT-dependent manner, which in turn alters endothelial gene expression and induces atherosclerosis.


2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (09) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Fish ◽  
Marguerite Neerman-Arbez

SummaryHigh circulating fibrinogen levels correlate with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Fibrinogen levels vary between people and also change in response to physiological and environmental stimuli. A modest proportion of the variation in fibrinogen levels can be explained by genotype, inferring that variation in genomic sequences that regulate the fibri-nogen genes (FGA, FGB and FGG) may affect hepatic fibrinogen production and perhaps CVD risk. We previously identified a conserved liver enhancer in the fibrinogen gene cluster (CNC12), between FGB and FGA. Genome-wide Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) demonstrated that transcription factors which bind fibrinogen gene promoters also interact with CNC12, as well as two potential fibrinogen enhancers (PFE), between FGA and FGG. Here we show that one of the PFE sequences has potent hepatocyte enhancer activity. Using a luciferase reporter gene system, we found that PFE2 enhances minimal promoter- and FGA promoter-driven gene expression in hepatoma cells, regardless of its orientation with respect to the promoters. A region within PFE2 bears a short series of conserved nucleotides which maintain enhancer activity without flanking sequence. We also demonstrate that PFE2 is a liver enhancer in vivo, driving enhanced green fluorescent protein expression in transgenic zebrafish larval livers. Our study shows that combining public domain ChIP-seq data with in vitro and in vivo functional tests can identify novel fibrinogen gene cluster regulatory sequences. Variation in such elements could affect fibrinogen production and influence CVD risk.


2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1859-1862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takehito Kaneko ◽  
David G. Whittingham ◽  
James W. Overstreet ◽  
Ryuzo Yanagimachi

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin P. Berman ◽  
Yaping Liu ◽  
Theresa K. Kelly

Background: Nucleosome organization and DNA methylation are two mechanisms that are important for proper control of mammalian transcription, as well as epigenetic dysregulation associated with cancer. Whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing studies have found that methylation levels in the human genome show periodicities of approximately 190 bp, suggesting a genome-wide relationship between the two marks. A recent report (Chodavarapu et al., 2010) attributed this to higher methylation levels of DNA within nucleosomes. Here, we analyzed a number of published datasets and found a more compelling alternative explanation, namely that methylation levels are highest in linker regions between nucleosomes. Results: Reanalyzing the data from (Chodavarapu et al., 2010), we found that nucleosome-associated methylation could be strongly confounded by known sequence-related biases of the next-generation sequencing technologies. By accounting for these biases and using an unrelated nucleosome profiling technology, NOMe-seq, we found that genome-wide methylation was actually highest within linker regions occurring between nucleosomes in multi-nucleosome arrays. This effect was consistent among several methylation datasets generated independently using two unrelated methylation assays. Linker-associated methylation was most prominent within long Partially Methylated Domains (PMDs) and the positioned nucleosomes that flank CTCF binding sites. CTCF adjacent nucleosomes retained the correct positioning in regions completely devoid of CpG dinucleotides, suggesting that DNA methylation is not required for proper nucleosomes positioning. Conclusions: The biological mechanisms responsible for DNA methylation patterns outside of gene promoters remain poorly understood. We identified a significant genome-wide relationship between nucleosome organization and DNA methylation, which can be used to more accurately analyze and understand the epigenetic changes that accompany cancer and other diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16197-e16197
Author(s):  
Oleg I. Kit ◽  
Vladimir S. Trifanov ◽  
Natalya N. Timoshkina ◽  
Dmitry Yu. Gvaldin ◽  
Milana Yu. Mesheryakova ◽  
...  

e16197 Background: Aberrant DNA methylation is a characteristic feature of cancer, affecting gene expression and tumor phenotype. In this study, we quantified the methylation of promoters of eight tumor suppressor genes in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (Pan-NET). Methods: The method of pyrosequencing was used to quantity level (Met,%) of methylation of gene promoters - tumor suppressors AHRR, APC1A, DAPK, MGMT, MLH1, P16, RASSF1A, RUNX3 in tumor samples from 55 patients with pancreatic NET (G1-G3) and in the blood of 10 healthy donors. Met for each sample was calculated as the median methylation of CpG sites in triplicate. Results: Hypermethylation was observed for AHRR (75%), APC1A (25%), RASSF1A (30%). In contrast, DAPK, MGMT, MLH1, P16, RUNX3 had low methylation levels ( < 20%). The median of methylation in the blood of healthy donors for AHRR was 91% (76-98); for all other loci it did not exceed 6%. A high incidence of methylation in excess of blood levels in healthy donors was identified for RASSF1A (0.96); AHRR (0.75); MGMT (0.65); RUNX3 (0.41), APC1A (0.25). For tumor suppressor P16, only one case of increased methylation was recorded (Met = 15%), despite the fact that this phenomenon is not uncommon for NETs of other localizations. In 66% of pancreatic NET cases, hypermethylation of more than two promoters of tumor suppressor genes was noted. An association tendency was found between the presence of MEN1 mutations and the RASSF1A methylation level (p = 0.08). Correlation analysis revealed a significant level of negative association between changes in methylation of MLH1 and AHRR (p < 0.01); for the latter, the prognostic value of a high methylation status and a better prognosis for many malignant neoplasms were described. Conclusions: In the present study, significant methylation of the promoters of the APC1A, DAPK, MGMT, RASSF1A, and RUNX3 genes in well-differentiated pancreatic NETs was identified with a high frequency. At the same time, isolated cases of hypermethylation were noted for the well-known tumor suppressors MLH1 and P16.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document