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