bims-histon 2020-05-24 papers

bims-histon

Biomed News

on Histones

Issue of 2020–05–24
37 papers selected by
Benjamin Weekley, University of Southern California

The atypical histone variant H3.15 promotes callus formation in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Writing and Reading Histone H3 Lysine 9 Methylation in Arabidopsis.
A central role for canonical PRC1 in shaping the 3D nuclear landscape.
Drosophila SWR1 and NuA4 complexes are defined by DOMINO isoforms.
H3K4me1 Distribution Predicts Transcription State and Poising at Promoters.
Chromatin as a key consumer in the metabolite economy.
TET1 and 5-Hydroxymethylation Preserve the Stem Cell State of Mouse Trophoblast.
Histone H3K27M Mutation Overrides Histological Grading in Pediatric Gliomas.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) Alters Histone Acetylation and Methylation and Impacts Chromatin Architecture Profile in Human Endothelial Cells.
Liquid-like interactions in heterochromatin: Implications for mechanism and regulation.
RORγt-driven TH17 Cell Differentiation Requires Epigenetic Control by the Swi/Snf Chromatin Remodeling Complex.
Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 mediates cardiac hypertrophy by differential regulation of histone H3 arginine methylation.
Pioneer transcription factors in chromatin remodeling: The kinetic proofreading view.
Attenuated Epigenetic Suppression of Muscle Stem Cell Necroptosis Is Required for Efficient Regeneration of Dystrophic Muscles.
In vivo chromatin organization on native yeast telomeric regions is independent of a cis-telomere loopback conformation.
A Chromodomain-Helicase-DNA-like Binding Factor Functions in Chromatin Modification and Gene Regulation.
Determinants of transcription factor regulatory range.
Epigenetics in Health and Disease.
The Role of Epigenetics in Type 1 Diabetes.
ZKSCAN3 counteracts cellular senescence by stabilizing heterochromatin.
Biochemical Mediators and Mechanisms Involved in Chromatin Conformational Remodeling through the Cell Cycle.
Sex-biased genetic programs in liver metabolism and liver fibrosis are controlled by EZH1 and EZH2.
Maternal high-fructose intake induces hypertension through activating histone codes on the (pro)renin receptor promoter.
Polycomb-like 2 regulates PRC2 components to affect proliferation in glioma cells.
Epigenome signatures landscaped by histone H3K9me3 are associated with the synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.
Characterising ISWI chromatin remodeler in Trypanosoma cruzi.
B-cell lymphoma 2 family genes show a molecular pattern of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in gynaecologic and breast cancer.
MEDEA: analysis of transcription factor binding motifs in accessible chromatin.
Histone H2A variants alpha1-extension helix directs RNF168-mediated ubiquitination.
HOX13-dependent chromatin accessibility underlies the transition towards the digit development program.
MTA1 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Downregulation of DNA-PK-Mediated H1.2T146 Phosphorylation.
Generation and Profiling of 2,135 Human ESC Lines for the Systematic Analyses of Cell States Perturbed by Inducing Single Transcription Factors.
Sophorasubprosrate polysaccharide suppress the inflammatory reaction of RAW264.7 cells infected with PCV2 via regulation NF-κB/MAPKs/c-Jun signal pathway and histone acetylation modification.
Long non-coding RNA SNGH7 Is activated by SP1 and exerts oncogenic properties by interacting with EZH2 in ovarian cancer.
Elevated plasma histone H4 level predicts increased risk of mortality in patients with sepsis.
Transcriptional activation during cell reprogramming correlates with the formation of 3D open chromatin hubs.
SP1-activated long noncoding RNA lncRNA GCMA functions as a competing endogenous RNA to promote tumor metastasis by sponging miR-124 and miR-34a in gastric cancer.

Development. 2020 May 21. pii: dev.184895. [Epub ahead of print]

The atypical histone variant H3.15 promotes callus formation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

An Yan, Michael Borg, Frédéric Berger, Zhong Chen.

  Plants are capable of regenerating new organs after mechanical injury. The regeneration process involves genome-wide reprogramming of transcription, which usually requires dynamic changes in the chromatin landscape. We show that the histone 3 variant, HISTONE THREE RELATED 15 (H3.15), plays an important role in cell fate reprogramming during plant regeneration in Arabidopsis H3.15 expression is rapidly induced upon wounding. Ectopic overexpression of H3.15 promotes cell proliferation to form a larger callus at the wound site, while htr15 mutation compromises callus formation. H3.15 is distinguished from other Arabidopsis histones by the absence of the lysine residue 27 that is trimethylated by the POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 (PRC2) in constitutively expressed H3 variants. Overexpression of H3.15 promotes the removal of the transcriptional repressive mark H3K27me3 from chromatin, which results in transcriptional derepression of downstream genes such as WUSCHEL RELATED HOMEOBOX11 (WOX11). Our results reveal a new mechanism for a release from PRC2-mediated gene repression through H3.15 deposition into chromatin, which is involved in reprogramming cell fate to produce pluripotent callus cells.

Keywords:  Callus formation; Cell fate reprogramming; H3.15; H3K27me3; Regeneration

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.184895
Front Plant Sci. 2020 ;11 452

Writing and Reading Histone H3 Lysine 9 Methylation in Arabidopsis.

Linhao Xu, Hua Jiang.

  In eukaryotes, histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me) mediates the silencing of invasive and repetitive sequences by preventing the expression of aberrant gene products and the activation of transposition. In Arabidopsis, while it is well known that dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) is maintained through a feedback loop between H3K9me2 and DNA methylation, the details of the H3K9me2-dependent silencing pathway have not been fully elucidated. Recently, the regulation and the function of H3K9 methylation have been extensively characterized. In this review, we summarize work from the recent studies regarding the regulation of H3K9me2, emphasizing the process of deposition and reading and the biological significance of H3K9me2 in Arabidopsis.

Keywords:  H3K9 methylation; epigenetics; heterochromatin; histone; transcriptional silencing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00452
Genes Dev. 2020 May 21.

A central role for canonical PRC1 in shaping the 3D nuclear landscape.

Shelagh Boyle, Ilya M Flyamer, Iain Williamson, Dipta Sengupta, Wendy A Bickmore, Robert S Illingworth.

  Polycomb group (PcG) proteins silence gene expression by chemically and physically modifying chromatin. A subset of PcG target loci are compacted and cluster in the nucleus; a conformation that is thought to contribute to gene silencing. However, how these interactions influence gross nuclear organization and their relationship with transcription remains poorly understood. Here we examine the role of Polycomb-repressive complex 1 (PRC1) in shaping 3D genome organization in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Using a combination of imaging and Hi-C analyses, we show that PRC1-mediated long-range interactions are independent of CTCF and can bridge sites at a megabase scale. Impairment of PRC1 enzymatic activity does not directly disrupt these interactions. We demonstrate that PcG targets coalesce in vivo, and that developmentally induced expression of one of the target loci disrupts this spatial arrangement. Finally, we show that transcriptional activation and the loss of PRC1-mediated interactions are separable events. These findings provide important insights into the function of PRC1, while highlighting the complexity of this regulatory system.

Keywords:  embryonic stem cells; epigenetics; gene regulation; gene repression; histone modifications; nuclear organization; polycomb; topologically associating domains (TADs)

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.336487.120
Elife. 2020 May 20. pii: e56325. [Epub ahead of print]9

Drosophila SWR1 and NuA4 complexes are defined by DOMINO isoforms.

Alessandro Scacchetti, Tamas Schauer, Alexander Reim, Zivkos Apostolou, Aline Campos Sparr, Silke Krause, Patrick Heun, Michael Wierer, Peter B Becker.

  Histone acetylation and deposition of H2A.Z variant are integral aspects of active transcription. In Drosophila, the single DOMINO chromatin regulator complex is thought to combine both activities via an unknown mechanism. Here we show that alternative isoforms of the DOMINO nucleosome remodeling ATPase, DOM-A and DOM-B, directly specify two distinct multi-subunit complexes. Both complexes are necessary for transcriptional regulation but through different mechanisms. The DOM-B complex incorporates H2A.V (the fly ortholog of H2A.Z) genome-wide in an ATP-dependent manner, like the yeast SWR1 complex. The DOM-A complex, instead, functions as an ATP-independent histone acetyltransferase complex similar to the yeast NuA4, targeting lysine 12 of histone H4. Our work provides an instructive example of how different evolutionary strategies lead to similar functional separation. In yeast and humans, nucleosome remodeling and histone acetyltransferase complexes originate from gene duplication and paralog specification. Drosophila generates the same diversity by alternative splicing of a single gene.

Keywords:  D. melanogaster; chromatin; chromosomes; gene expression; genetics; genomics; histone acetylation; histone exchange; histone h2a.z; nucleosome remodeling; transcription

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56325
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 289

H3K4me1 Distribution Predicts Transcription State and Poising at Promoters.

Sunhee Bae, Bluma J Lesch.

  Monomethylation on lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me1) is commonly associated with distal enhancers, but H3K4me1 is also present at promoter regions proximal to transcription start sites. To assess a possible role for H3K4me1 in dictating gene regulatory states at promoters, we examined H3K4me1 peak density around promoters in human and mouse germ cells using an analytic strategy that allowed us to assess relationships between different epigenetic marks on a promoter-by-promoter basis. We found that H3K4me1 exhibits either a bimodal pattern at active promoters, where it flanks H3K4me3, or a unimodal pattern at poised promoters, where it coincides with both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3. This pattern is correlated with gene expression level, but is more strongly linked to a poised chromatin state, defined by the simultaneous presence of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, than to transcriptional activity. The pattern is especially prominent in germ cells, but is also present in other cell types, including embryonic stem cells and differentiated somatic cells. We propose that H3K4me1 is a key feature of the poised epigenetic state, and suggest possible roles for this mark in epigenetic memory.

Keywords:  bivalent; germ cell; histone; pluripotency; poised; promoter; spermatogenesis; stem cell

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.00289
Nat Chem Biol. 2020 Jun;16(6): 620-629

Chromatin as a key consumer in the metabolite economy.

Katharine L Diehl, Tom W Muir.

In eukaryotes, chromatin remodeling and post-translational modifications (PTMs) shape the local chromatin landscape to establish permissive and repressive regions within the genome, orchestrating transcription, replication, and DNA repair in concert with other epigenetic mechanisms. Though cellular nutrient signaling encompasses a huge number of pathways, recent attention has turned to the hypothesis that the metabolic state of the cell is communicated to the genome through the type and concentration of metabolites in the nucleus that are cofactors for chromatin-modifying enzymes. Importantly, both epigenetic and metabolic dysregulation are hallmarks of a range of diseases, and this metabolism-chromatin axis may yield a well of new therapeutic targets. In this Perspective, we highlight emerging themes in the inter-regulation of the genome and metabolism via chromatin, including nonenzymatic histone modifications arising from chemically reactive metabolites, the expansion of PTM diversity from cofactor-promiscuous chromatin-modifying enzymes, and evidence for the existence and importance of subnucleocytoplasmic metabolite pools.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-020-0517-x
Stem Cell Reports. 2020 May 13. pii: S2213-6711(20)30149-1. [Epub ahead of print]

TET1 and 5-Hydroxymethylation Preserve the Stem Cell State of Mouse Trophoblast.

Claire E Senner, Stephanie Chrysanthou, Sarah Burge, Hai-Yan Lin, Miguel R Branco, Myriam Hemberger.

  The ten-eleven translocation factor TET1 and its conferred epigenetic modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) have important roles in maintaining the pluripotent state of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We previously showed that TET1 is also essential to maintain the stem cell state of trophoblast stem cells (TSCs). Here, we establish an integrated panel of absolute 5hmC levels, genome-wide DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation patterns, transcriptomes, and TET1 chromatin occupancy in TSCs and differentiated trophoblast cells. We show that the combined presence of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5hmC correlates with transcriptional activity of associated genes. Hypoxia can slow down the global loss of 5hmC that occurs upon differentiation of TSCs. Notably, unlike in ESCs and epiblast cells, most TET1-bound regions overlap with active chromatin marks and TFAP2C binding sites and demarcate putative trophoblast enhancer regions. These chromatin modification and occupancy patterns are highly informative to identify novel candidate regulators of the TSC state.

Keywords:  DNA hydroxymethylation; DNA methylation; TET1; chromatin interactions; embryonic stem cells; enhancers; epigenetics; gene regulation; trophoblast stem cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.04.009
Sci Rep. 2020 May 20. 10(1): 8368

Histone H3K27M Mutation Overrides Histological Grading in Pediatric Gliomas.

Amal Mosaab, Moatasem El-Ayadi, Eman N Khorshed, Nada Amer, Amal Refaat, Mohamed El-Beltagy, Zeinab Hassan, Sameh H Soror, Mohamed Saad Zaghloul, Shahenda El-Naggar.

Pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGG) are rare aggressive tumors that present a prognostic and therapeutic challenge. Diffuse midline glioma, H3K27M-mutant is a new entity introduced to HGG in the latest WHO classification. In this study we evaluated the presence of H3K27M mutation in 105 tumor samples histologically classified into low-grade gliomas (LGG) (n = 45), and HGG (n = 60). Samples were screened for the mutation in histone H3.3 and H3.1 variants to examine its prevalence, prognostic impact, and assess its potential clinical value in limited resource settings. H3K27M mutation was detected in 28 of 105 (26.7%) samples, and its distribution was significantly associated with midline locations (p-value < 0.0001) and HGG (p-value = 0.003). Overall and event- free survival (OS and EFS, respectively) of patients with mutant tumors did not differ significantly, neither according to histologic grade (OS p-value = 0.736, EFS p-value = 0.75) nor across anatomical sites (OS p-value = 0.068, EFS p-value = 0.153). Detection of H3K27M mutation in pediatric gliomas provides more precise risk stratification compared to traditional histopathological techniques. Hence, mutation detection should be pursued in all pediatric gliomas. Meanwhile, focusing on midline LGG can be an alternative in lower-middle-income countries to maximally optimize patients' treatment options.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65272-x
Molecules. 2020 May 16. pii: E2326. [Epub ahead of print]25(10):

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) Alters Histone Acetylation and Methylation and Impacts Chromatin Architecture Profile in Human Endothelial Cells.

Oskar Ciesielski, Marta Biesiekierska, Aneta Balcerczyk.

  Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main green tea polyphenol, exerts a wide variety of biological actions. Epigenetically, the catechin has been classified as a DNMTs inhibitor, however, its impact on histone modifications and chromatin structure is still poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to find the impact of EGCG on the histone posttranslational modifications machinery and chromatin remodeling in human endothelial cells of both microvascular (HMEC-1) and vein (HUVECs) origin. We analyzed the methylation and acetylation status of histones (Western blotting), as well as assessed the activity (fluorometric assay kit) and gene expression (qPCR) of the enzymes playing a prominent role in shaping the human epigenome. The performed analyses showed that EGCG increases histone acetylation (H3K9/14ac, H3ac), and methylation of both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K9me3) chromatin marks. We also found that the catechin acts as an HDAC inhibitor in cellular and cell-free models. Additionally, we observed that EGCG affects chromatin architecture by reducing the expression of heterochromatin binding proteins: HP1α, HP1γ. Our results indicate that EGCG promotes chromatin relaxation in human endothelial cells and presents a broad epigenetic potential affecting expression and activity of epigenome modulators including HDAC5 and 7, p300, CREBP, LSD1 or KMT2A.

Keywords:  endothelial cells; epigallocatechin gallate; epigenetics; histone acetylation; histone methylation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25102326
Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2020 May 17. pii: S0955-0674(20)30046-6. [Epub ahead of print]64 90-96

Liquid-like interactions in heterochromatin: Implications for mechanism and regulation.

Serena Sanulli, Geeta J Narlikar.

  A large portion of the eukaryotic genome is packed into heterochromatin, a versatile platform that is essential to maintain genome stability. Often associated with a compact and transcriptionally repressed chromatin state, heterochromatin was earlier considered a static and locked compartment. However, cumulative findings over the last 17 years have suggested that heterochromatin displays dynamics at different timescales and size scales. These dynamics are thought to be essential for the regulation of heterochromatin. This review illustrates how the key principles underlying heterochromatin structure and function have evolved along the years and summarizes the discoveries that have led to the continuous revision of these principles. Using heterochromatin protein 1-mediated heterochromatin as a context, we discuss a novel paradigm for heterochromatin organization based on two emerging concepts, phase separation and nucleosome structural plasticity. We also examine the broader implications of this paradigm for chromatin organization and regulation beyond heterochromatin.

Keywords:  Biomolecular condensate; Chromatin; Dynamics; Heterochromatin; Nucleosome; Phase separation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2020.03.004
iScience. 2020 Apr 29. pii: S2589-0042(20)30291-1. [Epub ahead of print]23(5): 101106

RORγt-driven TH17 Cell Differentiation Requires Epigenetic Control by the Swi/Snf Chromatin Remodeling Complex.

Sungkyu Lee, Jieun Kim, Hyungyu Min, Rho H Seong.

  Epigenetic regulation, including chromatin accessibility and posttranslational modifications of histones, is of importance for T cell lineage decision. TH17 cells play a critical role in protective mucosal immunity and pathogenic multiple autoimmune diseases. The differentiation of TH17 cells is dictated by a master transcription factor, RORγt. However, the epigenetic mechanism that controls TH17 cell differentiation remains poorly understood. Here we show that the Swi/Snf complex is required for TH17-mediated cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that RORγt recruits and forms a complex with the Swi/Snf complex to cooperate for the RORγt-mediated epigenetic modifications of target genes, including both permissive and repressive ones for TH17 cell differentiation. Our findings thus highlight the Swi/Snf complex as an essential epigenetic regulator of TH17 cell differentiation and provide a basis for the understanding of how a master transcription factor RORγt collaborates with the Swi/Snf complex to govern epigenetic regulation.

Keywords:  Immunity; Molecular Mechanism of Gene Regulation; Transcriptomics

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.101106
Heliyon. 2020 May;6(5): e03864

Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 mediates cardiac hypertrophy by differential regulation of histone H3 arginine methylation.

Vineesh Vimala Raveendran, Kamar Al-Haffar, Muhammed Kunhi, Karim Belhaj, Walid Al-Habeeb, Jehad Al-Buraiki, Atli Eyjolsson, Coralie Poizat.

  Heart failure remains a major cause of hospitalization and death worldwide. Heart failure can be caused by abnormalities in the epigenome resulting from dysregulation of histone-modifying enzymes. While chromatin enzymes catalyzing lysine acetylation and methylation of histones have been the topic of many investigations, the role of arginine methyltransferases has been overlooked. In an effort to understand regulatory mechanisms implicated in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, we assessed the expression of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) in the left ventricle of failing human hearts and control hearts. Our results show a significant up-regulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) in failing human hearts compared to control hearts, which also occurs in the early phase of cardiac hypertrophy in mouse hearts subjected to pressure overload hypertrophy induced by trans-aortic constriction (TAC), and in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) stimulated with the hypertrophic agonist phenylephrine (PE). These changes are associated with a significant increase in arginine 2 asymmetric methylation of histone H3 (H3R2Me2a) and reduced lysine 4 tri-methylation of H3 (H3K4Me3) observed both in NRVM and in vivo. Importantly, forced expression of PRMT6 in NRVM enhances the expression of the hypertrophic marker, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Conversely, specific silencing of PRMT6 reduces ANP protein expression and cell size, indicating that PRMT6 is critical for the PE-mediated hypertrophic response. Silencing of PRMT6 reduces H3R2Me2a, a mark normally associated with transcriptional repression. Furthermore, evaluation of cardiac contractility and global ion channel activity in live NRVM shows a striking reduction of spontaneous beating rates and prolongation of extra-cellular field potentials in cells expressing low-level PRMT6. Altogether, our results indicate that PRMT6 is a critical regulator of cardiac hypertrophy, implicating H3R2Me2a as an important histone modification. This study identifies PRMT6 as a new epigenetic regulator and suggests a new point of control in chromatin to inhibit pathological cardiac remodeling.

Keywords:  Biochemistry; Cardiac hypertrophy; Cardiology; Epigenetics; Heart failure; Histone H3 arginine methylation; Molecular biology; PRMT6; Pathophysiology; Phenylephrine; Pressure overload hypertrophy; Protein arginine methyltransferase 6; Proteins

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03864
Phys Rev E. 2020 Apr;101(4-1): 040401

Pioneer transcription factors in chromatin remodeling: The kinetic proofreading view.

Helmut Schiessel, Ralf Blossey.

Pioneer transcription factors are a recently defined class of transcription factors which can bind directly to nucleosomal DNA; they play a key role in gene activation in certain pathways. Here we quantify their role in the initiation of nucleosome displacement within the kinetic proofreading scenario of chromatin remodeling. The model allows one to perform remodeling efficiency comparisons for scenarios involving different types of transcription factors and remodelers as a function of their binding and unbinding rates and concentrations. Our results demonstrate a way to fine-tune the specificity of processes that modify the chromatin structure in transcriptional initiation.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.101.040401
Cell Rep. 2020 May 19. pii: S2211-1247(20)30605-7. [Epub ahead of print]31(7): 107652

Attenuated Epigenetic Suppression of Muscle Stem Cell Necroptosis Is Required for Efficient Regeneration of Dystrophic Muscles.

Krishnamoorthy Sreenivasan, Alessandro Ianni, Carsten Künne, Boris Strilic, Stefan Günther, Eusebio Perdiguero, Marcus Krüger, Simone Spuler, Stefan Offermanns, Pablo Gómez-Del Arco, Juan Miguel Redondo, Pura Munoz-Canoves, Johnny Kim, Thomas Braun.

  Somatic stem cells expand massively during tissue regeneration, which might require control of cell fitness, allowing elimination of non-competitive, potentially harmful cells. How or if such cells are removed to restore organ function is not fully understood. Here, we show that a substantial fraction of muscle stem cells (MuSCs) undergo necroptosis because of epigenetic rewiring during chronic skeletal muscle regeneration, which is required for efficient regeneration of dystrophic muscles. Inhibition of necroptosis strongly enhances suppression of MuSC expansion in a non-cell-autonomous manner. Prevention of necroptosis in MuSCs of healthy muscles is mediated by the chromatin remodeler CHD4, which directly represses the necroptotic effector Ripk3, while CHD4-dependent Ripk3 repression is dramatically attenuated in dystrophic muscles. Loss of Ripk3 repression by inactivation of Chd4 causes massive necroptosis of MuSCs, abolishing regeneration. Our study demonstrates how programmed cell death in MuSCs is tightly controlled to achieve optimal tissue regeneration.

Keywords:  Chd4/NuRD; Ripk3; muscle dystrophy; muscle stem cells; necroptosis; regeneration

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107652
Epigenetics Chromatin. 2020 May 22. 13(1): 23

In vivo chromatin organization on native yeast telomeric regions is independent of a cis-telomere loopback conformation.

Emeline Pasquier, Raymund J Wellinger.

   BACKGROUND: DNA packaging into chromatin regulates all DNA-related processes and at chromosomal ends could affect both essential functions of telomeres: protection against DNA damage response and telomere replication. Despite this primordial role of chromatin, little is known about chromatin organization, and in particular about nucleosome positioning on unmodified subtelomere-telomere junctions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
RESULTS: By ChEC experiments and indirect end-labeling, we characterized nucleosome positioning as well as specialized protein-DNA associations on most subtelomere-telomere junctions present in budding yeast. The results show that there is a relatively large nucleosome-free region at chromosome ends. Despite the absence of sequence homologies between the two major classes of subtelomere-telomere junctions (i.e.: Y'-telomeres and X-telomeres), all analyzed subtelomere-telomere junctions show a terminal nucleosome-free region just distally from the known Rap1-covered telomeric repeats. Moreover, previous evidence suggested a telomeric chromatin fold-back structure onto subtelomeric areas that supposedly was implicated in chromosome end protection. The in vivo ChEC method used herein in conjunction with several proteins in a natural context revealed no evidence for such structures in bulk chromatin.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study allows a structural definition of the chromatin found at chromosome ends in budding yeast. This definition, derived with direct in vivo approaches, includes a terminal area that is free of nucleosomes, certain positioned nucleosomes and conserved DNA-bound protein complexes. This organization of subtelomeric and telomeric areas however does not include a telomeric cis-loopback conformation. We propose that the observations on such fold-back structures may report rare and/or transient associations and not stable or constitutive structures.

Keywords:  Subtelomere; Telomere; Telomeric chromatin

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-020-00344-w
Plant Physiol. 2020 May 21. pii: pp.00453.2020. [Epub ahead of print]

A Chromodomain-Helicase-DNA-like Binding Factor Functions in Chromatin Modification and Gene Regulation.

Yue Lu, Feng Tan, Yu Zhao, Xiangsong Chen, Shaoli Zhou, Yongfeng Hu, Dao-Xiu Zhou.

Proteins in the chromodomain-helicase/ATPase-DNA-binding domain (CHD) family are divided into three groups. The function of group I CHD proteins in nucleosome positioning is well established, while that of group II members (represented by CHD3/Mi2) remains unclear. Using high-throughput approaches, we investigated the function of the group II rice (Oryza sativa) CHD protein CHR729 in nucleosome positioning, gene expression, histone methylation, and binding. Our data revealed that the chr729 mutation led to increased nucleosome occupancy in the rice genome and altered the expression and histone H3K4me3 modification of many, mainly underexpressed, genes. Further analysis showed that the mutation affected both deposition and depletion of H3K4me3 in distinct chromatin regions with concomitant changes in H3K27me3 modification. Genetic and genomic analysis revealed that CHR729 and JMJ703, an H3K4 demethylase, had agonistic, antagonistic and independent functions in modulating H3K4me3 and expression of subsets of genes. In addition, CHR729 binding was enriched in H3K4me3-marked genic and H3K27me3-marked intergenic regions. The results indicate that CHR729 has distinct functions in regulating H3K4me3 and H3K27me3modifications, and gene expression at different chromatin domains and provide insight into chromatin regulation of 'bivalent' genes marked by both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.20.00453
Nat Commun. 2020 May 18. 11(1): 2472

Determinants of transcription factor regulatory range.

Chen-Hao Chen, Rongbin Zheng, Collin Tokheim, Xin Dong, Jingyu Fan, Changxin Wan, Qin Tang, Myles Brown, Jun S Liu, Clifford A Meyer, X Shirley Liu.

Characterization of the genomic distances over which transcription factor (TF) binding influences gene expression is important for inferring target genes from TF chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) data. Here we systematically examine the relationship between thousands of TF and histone modification ChIP-seq data sets with thousands of gene expression profiles. We develop a model for integrating these data, which reveals two classes of TFs with distinct ranges of regulatory influence, chromatin-binding preferences, and auto-regulatory properties. We find that the regulatory range of the same TF bound within different topologically associating domains (TADs) depend on intrinsic TAD properties such as local gene density and G/C content, but also on the TAD chromatin states. Our results suggest that considering TF type, binding distance to gene locus, as well as chromatin context is important in identifying implicated TFs from GWAS SNPs.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16106-x
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020 ;1253 3-55

Epigenetics in Health and Disease.

Lian Zhang, Qianjin Lu, Christopher Chang.

  Epigenetic mechanisms, which include DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA (miRNA), can produce heritable phenotypic changes without a change in DNA sequence. Disruption of gene expression patterns which are governed by epigenetics can result in autoimmune diseases, cancers, and various other maladies. Mechanisms of epigenetics include DNA methylation (and demethylation), histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs. Compared to numerous studies that have focused on the field of genetics, research on epigenetics is fairly recent. In contrast to genetic changes, which are difficult to reverse, epigenetic aberrations can be pharmaceutically reversible. The emerging tools of epigenetics can be used as preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic markers. With the development of drugs that target the specific epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression, development and utilization of epigenetic tools are an appropriate and effective approach that can be clinically applied to the treatment of various diseases.

Keywords:  Checkpoints; Cytokines; DNA methylation; Histone modification; Immune dysfunction; Signaling pathways; miRNA

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3449-2_1
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020 ;1253 223-257

The Role of Epigenetics in Type 1 Diabetes.

Zhiguo Xie, Christopher Chang, Gan Huang, Zhiguang Zhou.

  Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by the interaction between genetic alterations and environmental factors. More than 60 susceptible genes or loci of T1D have been identified. Among them, HLA regions are reported to contribute about 50% of genetic susceptibility in Caucasians. There are many environmental factors involved in the pathogenesis of T1D. Environmental factors may change the expression of genes through epigenetic mechanisms, thus inducing individuals with susceptible genes to develop T1D; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The major epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA. There has been extensive research on the role of epigenetic mechanisms including aberrant DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA in the pathogenesis of T1D. DNA methylation and microRNA have been proposed as biomarkers to predict islet β cell death, which needs further confirmation before any clinical application can be developed. Small molecule inhibitors of histone deacetylases, histone methylation, and DNA methylation are potentially important for preventing T1D or in the reprogramming of insulin-producing cells. This chapter mainly focuses on T1D-related DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA, as well as their possible translational potential in the early diagnosis and treatment of T1D.

Keywords:  DNA methylation; Environmental factors; Epigenetics; Genetics; Histone modification; Type 1 diabetes; microRNA

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3449-2_9
Nucleic Acids Res. 2020 May 19. pii: gkaa425. [Epub ahead of print]

ZKSCAN3 counteracts cellular senescence by stabilizing heterochromatin.

Huifang Hu, Qianzhao Ji, Moshi Song, Jie Ren, Zunpeng Liu, Zehua Wang, Xiaoqian Liu, Kaowen Yan, Jianli Hu, Yaobin Jing, Si Wang, Weiqi Zhang, Guang-Hui Liu, Jing Qu.

Zinc finger protein with KRAB and SCAN domains 3 (ZKSCAN3) has long been known as a master transcriptional repressor of autophagy. Here, we identify a novel role for ZKSCAN3 in alleviating senescence that is independent of its autophagy-related activity. Downregulation of ZKSCAN3 is observed in aged human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and depletion of ZKSCAN3 accelerates senescence of these cells. Mechanistically, ZKSCAN3 maintains heterochromatin stability via interaction with heterochromatin-associated proteins and nuclear lamina proteins. Further study shows that ZKSCAN3 deficiency results in the detachment of genomic lamina-associated domains (LADs) from the nuclear lamina, loss of heterochromatin, a more accessible chromatin status and consequently, aberrant transcription of repetitive sequences. Overexpression of ZKSCAN3 not only rescues premature senescence phenotypes in ZKSCAN3-deficient hMSCs but also rejuvenates physiologically and pathologically senescent hMSCs. Together, these data reveal for the first time that ZKSCAN3 functions as an epigenetic modulator to maintain heterochromatin organization and thereby attenuate cellular senescence. Our findings establish a new functional link among ZKSCAN3, epigenetic regulation, and stem cell aging.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaa425
Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2019 ;29(5): 425-435

Biochemical Mediators and Mechanisms Involved in Chromatin Conformational Remodeling through the Cell Cycle.

Ravi Maddaly, Kauser S Begum, Aswathy S Lal, Sraddha S Bharadwaj.

Chromatin undergoes structural remodeling through the cell-cycle stages. Remodeling of the chromatin structure is extremely important for events occurring during these stages. The five major levels of structural organization, from the double-strand structure to the metaphase chromosomes are possible due to specific factors and mechanisms that function in synchrony. The mitotic promoting factors, the "structural maintenance of chromosomes" proteins, and proteins associated with cytoskeletal and nucleoskeletal elements have specific roles in structural modeling and functioning of DNA. It is of interest that the DNA decondensation cycle opposes the DNA condensation cycle. However, it is not clear if the factors and mechanisms involved in the DNA decondensation cycle are exactly opposite to the DNA condensation cycle. Also interesting is that chromosome-specific chromatin is positioned in the interphase nucleus in specific "territories" or "niches," a phenomenon similar to the exactly positioned genes at specific locations on a fully condensed chromosome. We review the factors and mechanisms in remodeling chromatin, maintaining structural integrity at each organizational level, and impact of this structural remodeling on functions of the genetic material.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1615/CritRevEukaryotGeneExpr.2019027174
PLoS Genet. 2020 May 19. 16(5): e1008796

Sex-biased genetic programs in liver metabolism and liver fibrosis are controlled by EZH1 and EZH2.

Dana Lau-Corona, Woo Kyun Bae, Lothar Hennighausen, David J Waxman.

Sex differences in the incidence and progression of many liver diseases, including liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, are associated with sex-biased hepatic expression of hundreds of genes. This sexual dimorphism is largely determined by the sex-specific pattern of pituitary growth hormone secretion, which controls a transcriptional regulatory network operative in the context of sex-biased and growth hormone-regulated chromatin states. Histone H3K27-trimethylation yields a major sex-biased repressive chromatin mark deposited at many strongly female-biased genes in male mouse liver, but not at male-biased genes in female liver, and is catalyzed by polycomb repressive complex-2 through its homologous catalytic subunits, Ezh1 and Ezh2. Here, we used Ezh1-knockout mice with a hepatocyte-specific knockout of Ezh2 to investigate the sex bias of liver H3K27-trimethylation and its functional role in regulating sex-differences in the liver. Combined hepatic Ezh1/Ezh2 deficiency led to a significant loss of sex-biased gene expression, particularly in male liver, where many female-biased genes were increased in expression while male-biased genes showed decreased expression. The associated loss of H3K27me3 marks, and increases in the active enhancer marks H3K27ac and H3K4me1, were also more pronounced in male liver. Further, Ezh1/Ezh2 deficiency in male liver, and to a lesser extent in female liver, led to up regulation of many genes linked to liver fibrosis and liver cancer, which may contribute to the observed liver pathologies and the increased sensitivity of these mice to hepatotoxin exposure. Thus, Ezh1/Ezh2-catalyzed H3K27-trimethyation regulates sex-dependent genetic programs in liver metabolism and liver fibrosis through its sex-dependent effects on the epigenome, and may thereby determine the sex-bias in liver disease susceptibility.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008796
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2020 May 15. pii: S0006-291X(20)30807-X. [Epub ahead of print]

Maternal high-fructose intake induces hypertension through activating histone codes on the (pro)renin receptor promoter.

Hyun Min Cho, InKyeom Kim.

  High-fructose intake induces hypertension via the renal expression of (pro)renin receptor (PRR) that stimulates the expression of sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3, Na/K/2Cl cotransporter 2, and genes of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system. We hypothesize that maternal high-fructose intake induces hypertension in subsequent generation offspring through activating histone codes on the PRR promoter. Mice dams were offered 20% fructose solution during pregnancy and lactation, while the subsequent 1st to 4th generation offspring were raised without fructose. Blood pressure was measured via tail-cuff method. The mRNA and protein expression were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. Histone modification was evaluated using a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Maternal high-fructose intake statistically significantly increased blood pressure in the 1st and 2nd generations of offspring compared to the control group. Expression levels of sodium transporters and PRR were increased in the kidneys of the 1st to 3rd generation offspring. Increased enrichment of active histone codes such as H3Ac and H3K4me2 but decreased enrichment of repressive histone codes such as H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 on the PRR promoter were observed in the 1st to 3rd not the 4th generation. Moreover, there was increased the mRNA expression for histone acetyltransferase and methyl transferases for H3K4 in the 1st and 2nd generation offspring compared to the control group. This study implicates that maternal high-fructose intake induces hypertension in multigenerational offspring through activating histone codes on the PRR promoter.

Keywords:  (pro)renin receptor; Epigenetic; Histone modification; Hypertension; Maternal high fructose

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.04.081
J Neurooncol. 2020 May 21.

Polycomb-like 2 regulates PRC2 components to affect proliferation in glioma cells.

Fei Wang, Yongying Gao, Ye Lv, Yanwei Wu, Yongzhen Guo, Fang Du, Shixiong Wang, Jiaxiang Yu, Xiangmei Cao, P Andy Li.

   INTRODUCTION: The Polycomb group (PcG) is an important family of transcriptional regulators that controls growth and tumorigenesis. The PcG mainly consists of two complexes, PRC1 and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). Polycomb-like 2 (PCL2) is known to interact with the PRC2 protein. The role of PCL2 in the development and progression of glioma is unclear.
METHODS: We use The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to detect the expression of PCL2 in various tumors. 117 cases of clinical glioma (WHOI-IV) were collected, and PCL2 expression and localization were detected by immunohistochemical staining. Glioma cells U87/U251 were infected with overexpressed and interfered PCL2. CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, EdU method, cell cycle and apoptosis were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PRC2-related core proteins. After DZNeP intervention, PRC2 protein expression was again measured to discuss the mechanism of PCL2 action.
RESULTS: TCGA database results and immunohistochemical staining results suggest that PCL2 is highly expressed in gliomas. We found that the PCL2 gene promoted tumor cell proliferation, enhanced the colony formation ability, and increased S phase in the cell cycle. The overexpression of PCL2 upregulated the expression levels of EZH2 and EED (two core members of PRC2), decreased the expression of SUZ12, increased the level of H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), H3K4 dimethylation (H3K4me2), and decreased H3K9 dimethylation (H3K9me2). The result after interfering with PCL2 was the opposite.
CONCLUSIONS: As an important accessory protein of PRC2, PCL2 can not only change the expression of PRC2 components, but also affect the expression level of Histone methylation. Therefore, PCL2 may be an important hub for regulating the synergy among PRC2 members. This study revealed PCL2 as a new target for tumor research and open up a new avenue for future research in glioma.

Keywords:  Glioma cells; PCL2; PRC2; Proliferation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-020-03538-0
Aging Cell. 2020 May 17. e13153

Epigenome signatures landscaped by histone H3K9me3 are associated with the synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

Min Young Lee, Junghee Lee, Seung Jae Hyeon, Hyesun Cho, Yu Jin Hwang, Jong-Yeon Shin, Ann C McKee, Neil W Kowall, Jong-Il Kim, Thor D Stein, Daehee Hwang, Hoon Ryu.

  The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the commonest cause of dementia in the elderly remain incompletely understood. Recently, epigenetic modifications have been shown to play a potential role in neurodegeneration, but the specific involvement of epigenetic signatures landscaped by heterochromatin has not been studied in AD. Herein, we discovered that H3K9me3-mediated heterochromatin condensation is elevated in the cortex of sporadic AD postmortem brains. In order to identify which epigenomes are modulated by heterochromatin, we performed H3K9me3-chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing and mRNA-sequencing on postmortem brains from normal subjects and AD patients. The integrated analyses of genome-wide ChIP- and mRNA-sequencing data identified epigenomes that were highly occupied by H3K9me3 and inversely correlated with their mRNA expression levels in AD. Biological network analysis further revealed H3K9me3-landscaped epigenomes to be mainly involved in synaptic transmission, neuronal differentiation, and cell motility. Together, our data show that the abnormal heterochromatin remodeling by H3K9me3 leads to down-regulation of synaptic function-related genes, suggesting that the epigenetic alteration by H3K9me3 is associated with the synaptic pathology of sporadic AD.

Keywords:  Alzheimer's disease; epigenetic modifications; genome-wide sequencing; histone H3K9me3; synaptic transmission

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13153
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2020 ;pii: S0074-02762020000100318. [Epub ahead of print]115 e190457

Characterising ISWI chromatin remodeler in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Yirys Díaz-Olmos, Michel Batista, Adriana Ludwig, Fabricio K Marchini.

BACKGROUND Imitation SWItch (ISWI) ATPase is the catalytic subunit in diverse chromatin remodeling complexes. These complexes modify histone-DNA interactions and therefore play a pivotal role in different DNA-dependent processes. In Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan that controls gene expression principally post-transcriptionally, the transcriptional regulation mechanisms mediated by chromatin remodeling are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE To characterise the ISWI remodeler in T. cruzi (TcISWI). METHODS A new version of pTcGW vectors was constructed to express green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged TcISWI. CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to obtain parasites with inactivated TcISWI gene and we determined TcISWI partners by cryomilling-affinity purification-mass spectrometry (MS) assay as an approximation to start to unravel the function of this protein. FINDINGS Our approach identified known ISWI partners [nucleoplasmin-like protein (NLP), regulator of chromosome condensation 1-like protein (RCCP) and phenylalanine/tyrosine-rich protein (FYRP)], previously characterised in T. brucei, and new components in TcISWI complex [DRBD2, DHH1 and proteins containing a domain characteristic of structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins]. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017869. MAIN CONCLUSIONS In addition to its participation in transcriptional silencing, as it was reported in T. brucei, the data generated here provide a framework that suggests a role for TcISWI chromatin remodeler in different nuclear processes in T. cruzi, including mRNA nuclear export control and chromatin compaction. Further work is necessary to clarify the TcISWI functional diversity that arises from this protein interaction study.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-02760190457
Cell Prolif. 2020 May 17. e12826

B-cell lymphoma 2 family genes show a molecular pattern of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in gynaecologic and breast cancer.

Jiajian Wang, Sidi Li, Shudai Lin, Shuying Fu, Li Qiu, Ke Ding, Keying Liang, Hongli Du.

   OBJECTIVES: BCL2 family proteins have been widely studied over the past decade due to their essential roles in apoptosis, oncogenesis and anti-cancer therapy. However, the similarities and differences in the spatial pattern of the BCL2 gene family within the context of chromatin have not been well characterized. We sought to fill this knowledge gap by assessing correlations between gene alteration, gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and clinical outcomes in gynaecologic and breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the molecular characteristics of the BCL2 gene family in gynaecologic cancer were systematically analysed by integrating multi-omics datasets, including transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility, copy number variation, methylomics and clinical outcome.
RESULTS: We evaluated spatiotemporal associations between long-range regulation peaks and tumour heterogeneity. Differential expression of the BCL2 family was coupled with widespread chromatin accessibility changes in gynaecologic cancer, accompanied by highly heterogeneous distal non-coding accessibility surrounding the BCL2L1 gene loci. A relationship was also identified between gene expression, gene amplification, enhancer signatures, DNA methylation and overall patient survival. Prognostic analysis implied clinical correlations with BAD, BIK and BAK1. A shared protein regulatory network was established in which the co-mutation signature of TP53 and PIK3CA was linked to the BCL2L1 gene.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide the first systematic identification of the molecular features of the BCL2 family under the spatial pattern of chromatin in gynaecologic and breast cancer. These findings broaden the therapeutic scope of the BCL2 family to the non-coding region by including a significantly conserved distal region overlaying an enhancer.

Keywords:  BCL2 family; chromatin accessibility; long-range gene regulation; molecular characteristic; pan-cancer

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.12826
Genome Res. 2020 May 18.

MEDEA: analysis of transcription factor binding motifs in accessible chromatin.

Luca Mariani, Kathryn Weinand, Stephen S Gisselbrecht, Martha L Bulyk.

Deciphering the interplay between chromatin accessibility and transcription factor (TF) binding is fundamental to understanding transcriptional regulation, control of cellular states, and the establishment of new phenotypes. Recent genome-wide chromatin accessibility profiling studies have provided catalogs of putative open regions, where TFs can recognize their motifs and regulate gene expression programs. Here, we present motif enrichment in differential elements of accessibility (MEDEA), a computational tool that analyzes high-throughput chromatin accessibility genomic data to identify cell-type-specific accessible regions and lineage-specific motifs associated with TF binding therein. To benchmark MEDEA, we used a panel of reference cell lines profiled by ENCODE and curated by the ENCODE Project Consortium for the ENCODE-DREAM Challenge. By comparing results with RNA-seq data, ChIP-seq peaks, and DNase-seq footprints, we show that MEDEA improves the detection of motifs associated with known lineage specifiers. We then applied MEDEA to 610 ENCODE DNase-seq data sets, where it revealed significant motifs even when absolute enrichment was low and where it identified novel regulators, such as NRF1 in kidney development. Finally, we show that MEDEA performs well on both bulk and single-cell ATAC-seq data. MEDEA is publicly available as part of our Glossary-GENRE suite for motif enrichment analysis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/gr.260877.120
Nat Commun. 2020 May 18. 11(1): 2462

Histone H2A variants alpha1-extension helix directs RNF168-mediated ubiquitination.

Jessica L Kelliher, Kirk L West, Qingguo Gong, Justin W C Leung.

Histone ubiquitination plays an important role in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. RNF168 catalyzes H2A and H2AX ubiquitination on lysine 13/15 (K13/K15) upon DNA damage and promotes the accrual of downstream repair factors at damaged chromatin. Here, we report that RNF168 ubiquitinates the non-canonical H2A variants H2AZ and macroH2A1/2 at the divergent N-terminal tail lysine residue. In addition to their evolutionarily conserved nucleosome acidic patch, we identify the positively charged alpha1-extension helix as essential for RNF168-mediated ubiquitination of H2A variants. Moreover, mutation of the RNF168 UMI (UIM- and MIU-related UBD) hydrophilic acidic residues abolishes RNF168-mediated ubiquitination as well as 53BP1 and BRCA1 ionizing radiation-induced foci formation. Our results reveal a juxtaposed bipartite electrostatic interaction utilized by the nucleosome to direct RNF168 orientation towards the target lysine residues in proximity to the H2A alpha1-extension helix, which plays an important role in the DDR pathway.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16307-4
Nat Commun. 2020 May 19. 11(1): 2491

HOX13-dependent chromatin accessibility underlies the transition towards the digit development program.

Ines Desanlis, Yacine Kherdjemil, Alexandre Mayran, Yasser Bouklouch, Claudia Gentile, Rushikesh Sheth, Rolf Zeller, Jacques Drouin, Marie Kmita.

Hox genes encode transcription factors (TFs) that establish morphological diversity in the developing embryo. The similar DNA-binding motifs of the various HOX TFs contrast with the wide-range of HOX-dependent genetic programs. The influence of the chromatin context on HOX binding specificity remains elusive. Here, we used the developing limb as a model system to compare the binding specificity of HOXA13 and HOXD13 (HOX13 hereafter), which are required for digit formation, and HOXA11, involved in forearm/leg development. We find that upon ectopic expression in distal limb buds, HOXA11 binds sites normally HOX13-specific. Importantly, these sites are loci whose chromatin accessibility relies on HOX13. Moreover, we show that chromatin accessibility specific to the distal limb requires HOX13 function. Based on these results, we propose that HOX13 TFs pioneer the distal limb-specific chromatin accessibility landscape for the proper implementation of the distal limb developmental program.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16317-2
Front Oncol. 2020 ;10 567

MTA1 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Downregulation of DNA-PK-Mediated H1.2T146 Phosphorylation.

Yu-Hui Li, Ming Zhong, Hong-Liang Zang, Xiao-Feng Tian.

  Global incidence and mortality associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is steadily increasing. Metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1) can induce tumorigenesis and metastatic progression in HCC. However, the mechanistic details of MTA1-mediated regulation of HCC has not been completely defined. Epigenetic histone modification is closely related to tumor development. Histone cluster 1 H1 family member c (H1.2) is important for epigenetic histone modification and chromatin remodeling; however, whether it has a role in HCC tumorigenesis is not known. In the current study, we confirmed that MTA1 promoted HCC cell growth and migration. Our results further show that MTA1 inhibited the phosphorylation of histone cluster 1 H1 family member c (H1.2) at threonine-146 residue (T146) (H1.2T146ph). MTA1 inhibited H1.2T146ph by mediating proteasomal degradation of the DNA protein kinase (DNA-PK). Pharmacological inhibition of proteasomal degradation of DNA-PK or genetic ablation of E3 ligase mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) rescued expression of DNA-PK, and subsequent phosphorylation of H1.2. MTA1's role in HCC was inhibited by ectopic expression of H1.2T146ph in HCC cell lines. Our results showed that H1.2T146ph can bind to MTA1 target genes. Collectively, our study confirms that MTA1 functions as an oncogene and promotes HCC progression. The epigenetic histone modifier H1.2T146ph exerts critical role in the regulation of MTA1-induced tumorigenesis. MTA1 regulates posttranslational activation of H1.2 by regulating the cognate kinase, DNA-PK, via the ubiquitin proteasome system. MTA1 expression was inversely correlated to both DNA-PK and phosphorylated H1.2 in HCC tissue specimens compared to tumor adjacent normal hepatic tissue, revealing that the MTA1/MDM2/DNA-PK/H1.2 is an important therapeutic axis in HCC.

Keywords:  DNA-PK; H1.2; HCC; MTA1; hepatocellular cancer

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.00567
Cell Rep. 2020 May 19. pii: S2211-1247(20)30608-2. [Epub ahead of print]31(7): 107655

Generation and Profiling of 2,135 Human ESC Lines for the Systematic Analyses of Cell States Perturbed by Inducing Single Transcription Factors.

Yuhki Nakatake, Shigeru B H Ko, Alexei A Sharov, Shunichi Wakabayashi, Miyako Murakami, Miki Sakota, Nana Chikazawa, Chiaki Ookura, Saeko Sato, Noriko Ito, Madoka Ishikawa-Hirayama, Siu Shan Mak, Lars Martin Jakt, Tomoo Ueno, Ken Hiratsuka, Misako Matsushita, Sravan Kumar Goparaju, Tomohiko Akiyama, Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro, Mayumi Oda, Norio Gouda, Akihiro Umezawa, Hidenori Akutsu, Kunihiro Nishimura, Ryo Matoba, Osamu Ohara, Minoru S H Ko.

  Transcription factors (TFs) play a pivotal role in determining cell states, yet our understanding of the causative relationship between TFs and cell states is limited. Here, we systematically examine the state changes of human pluripotent embryonic stem cells (hESCs) by the large-scale manipulation of single TFs. We establish 2,135 hESC lines, representing three clones each of 714 doxycycline (Dox)-inducible genes including 481 TFs, and obtain 26,998 microscopic cell images and 2,174 transcriptome datasets-RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) or microarrays-48 h after the presence or absence of Dox. Interestingly, the expression of essentially all the genes, including genes located in heterochromatin regions, are perturbed by these TFs. TFs are also characterized by their ability to induce differentiation of hESCs into specific cell lineages. These analyses help to provide a way of classifying TFs and identifying specific sets of TFs for directing hESC differentiation into desired cell types.

Keywords:  cell differentiation; conditional induction; human embryonic stem cells; transcription factors; transcriptome

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107655
Int J Biol Macromol. 2020 May 19. pii: S0141-8130(20)33266-9. [Epub ahead of print]

Sophorasubprosrate polysaccharide suppress the inflammatory reaction of RAW264.7 cells infected with PCV2 via regulation NF-κB/MAPKs/c-Jun signal pathway and histone acetylation modification.

Jian Yang, Mi-Xia Cao, Wen-Yue Hu, Ying-Yi Wei, Ting-Jun Hu.

  The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulation of Sophorasubprosrate polysaccharide (SSP) on inflammatory response and histone acetylation modification of RAW264.7 cells (mouse mononuclear macrophage cell line) infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). We further explored the role of inflammatory response and histone acetylation modification on the basis of the original study. The results showed that SSP decreased the secretion level of TNF-α and IL-6 and the intracellular iNOS, COX-2 enzyme activities and their mRNA expression levels in PCV2 infected RAW264.7 cells, but increased the level of IL-10 secretion and its mRNA expression. SSP inhibited the phosphorylation levels of proteins of p65, ERK1/2, p38 and c-Jun in RAW264.7 cells infected with PCV2. The activities of HAT and HDAC enzymes and the mRNA expression levels of HAT1 and HDAC1 were increased when the PCV2-infected RAW264.7 cells were treated by SSP. Meanwhile, the expression of acetylation modification of histones both H3 and H4 was obviously inhibited. In conclusion, SSP may reduce the acetylation levels of both H3 and H4 and activate NF-κB/MAPKs/c-Jun signaling pathway by increasing the activity of HADC enzyme and the expression of HDAC mRNA, further inhibiting inflammatory response by regulating the gene expression levels of inflammatory factors. The findings indicated that the molecular mechanism of how traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharide regulates inflammatory signal pathways and inflammatory factors by regulating histone acetylation.

Keywords:  Histone acetylation; Inflammatory cytokines; PCV2; Sophorasubprosrate polysaccharide

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.05.128
J Cell Mol Med. 2020 May 18.

Long non-coding RNA SNGH7 Is activated by SP1 and exerts oncogenic properties by interacting with EZH2 in ovarian cancer.

Zhuanli Bai, YinYing Wu, Shuheng Bai, Yanli Yan, Haojing Kang, Wen Ma, Jiangzhou Zhang, Ying Gao, Beina Hui, Hailin Ma, Rong Li, Xiaozhi Zhang, Juan Ren.

  Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulators or a range of diseases and chronic conditions such as cancers, but how they function in the context of ovarian cancer (OC) is poorly understood. The Coding-Potential Assessment Tool was used to assess the likely protein-coding potential of SNHG7. SNHG7 expression was elevated in ovarian tumour tissues measured by qRT-PCR. The online database JASPAR was used to predict the transcription factors binding to SNHG7. Twenty-four-well Transwell plates were used for invasion assays. RNA immunoprecipitation was performed to determine RNA-protein associations. EdU assay was introduced to detect cell proliferation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed to confirm the directly interaction between DNA and protein. We discovered that in the context of OC there is a significant up-regulation of the lncRNA SNHG7. Knocking down this lncRNA disrupted both OC cell invasion and proliferation, while its overexpression had the opposite effect. SP1 binding sites were present in the SNHG7 promoter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) confirmed direct SP1 binding to this region, activating SNHG7 transcription. We found that at a mechanistic level in OC cells, KLF2 is a probable SNHG7 target, as we found that SHNCCC16 directly interacts with EZH2 and thus represses KLF2 expression. In summary, this research demonstrates that lncRNA SNHG7 is an SP1-activated molecule that contributes to OC progression by providing a scaffold whereby EZH2 can repress KLF2 expression.

Keywords:  EZH2; KLF2; cell migration; lncRNA SHNG7; ovarian cancer

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.15373
Ann Palliat Med. 2020 May 14. pii: apm-20-1011. [Epub ahead of print]

Elevated plasma histone H4 level predicts increased risk of mortality in patients with sepsis.

Nian-Fang Lu, Li Jiang, Bo Zhu, De-Gang Yang, Rui-Qiang Zheng, Jun Shao, Xiu-Ming Xi.

   BACKGROUND: Histones play a vital role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. However, studies on histones and the prognosis of sepsis patients are scarce. This study aims to investigate the relationship between histones and other biomarkers of sepsis. Furthermore, we aim to determine the role histones play in the prognosis of sepsis patients to explore the possibility of using them as a potential biomarker of sepsis.
METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study on 136 patients. One hundred twenty-six of them had sepsis, and 10 were enrolled as healthy controls. Baseline blood samples were collected for plasma histone H4, cardiac troponin I (TnI), N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), procalcitonin (PCT), and lactate. The site of infection, the use of vasopressor, and assessment scores of sequential organ failure were documented within 24 hours of admission. The duration of ICU stay and mortality was also recorded.
RESULTS: The mean plasma histone levels of the patients were significantly higher than the healthy controls (P<0.001). Compared with the 89 survivors, the 37 patients who died had a higher rate of sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores (P=0.002), more frequent use of vasopressors (P=0.033), and higher levels of histone H4 (P<0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that high plasma histone H4 levels were independent risk factors for predicting mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.731) verified that high plasma histone H4 level significantly predicted mortality. Plasma histone H4 levels positively correlated with the SOFA score, and plasma cardiac TnI.
CONCLUSIONS: For patients with sepsis in the ICU, an elevated level of plasma histone H4 could be a risk factor associated with an increased mortality rate. Therefore, plasma histone H4 may be a useful biomarker for determining the prognosis of these patients.

Keywords:  Sepsis; histones; intensive care; mortality; sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA)

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.21037/apm-20-1011
Nat Commun. 2020 May 22. 11(1): 2564

Transcriptional activation during cell reprogramming correlates with the formation of 3D open chromatin hubs.

Marco Di Stefano, Ralph Stadhouders, Irene Farabella, David Castillo, François Serra, Thomas Graf, Marc A Marti-Renom.

Chromosome structure is a crucial regulatory factor for a wide range of nuclear processes. Chromosome conformation capture (3C)-based experiments combined with computational modelling are pivotal for unveiling 3D chromosome structure. Here, we introduce TADdyn, a tool that integrates time-course 3C data, restraint-based modelling, and molecular dynamics to simulate the structural rearrangements of genomic loci in a completely data-driven way. We apply TADdyn on in situ Hi-C time-course experiments studying the reprogramming of murine B cells to pluripotent cells, and characterize the structural rearrangements that take place upon changes in the transcriptional state of 21 genomic loci of diverse expression dynamics. By measuring various structural and dynamical properties, we find that during gene activation, the transcription starting site contacts with open and active regions in 3D chromatin domains. We propose that these 3D hubs of open and active chromatin may constitute a general feature to trigger and maintain gene transcription.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16396-1
Oncogene. 2020 May 21.

SP1-activated long noncoding RNA lncRNA GCMA functions as a competing endogenous RNA to promote tumor metastasis by sponging miR-124 and miR-34a in gastric cancer.

Yaru Tian, Ranran Ma, Yujing Sun, Haiting Liu, Hui Zhang, Yiyuan Sun, Lei Liu, Yuhong Li, Lin Song, Peng Gao.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were demonstrated to play important roles in gene regulation and cancer progression. However, the functional roles of lncRNAs and the detailed mechanisms underlying gastric cancer (GC) progression remain largely unclear. Here, we identified a novel cancer-related lncRNA, termed lncRNA GCMA (Gastric Cancer metastasis-associated lncRNA), which was upregulated in GC tissues with lymph node metastasis (LNM) compared with tissues without LNM. High expression of GCMA was significantly associated with poor prognosis of patients with GC. Luciferase assays, bioinformatics analyses and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays indicated that SP1 transcription factor directly bound to the GCMA promoter region and activated its transcription. Functionally, upregulation of GCMA dramatically promoted GC cells proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, whereas knockdown of GCMA elicited the opposite function. Consistently, stable knockdown of GCMA inhibited tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, by using bioinformatics analyses, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays, luciferase assays and western-blot assays, GCMA was demonstrated to function as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) via competitively absorbing miR-124 and miR-34a to upregulate slug and snail, thereby induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and GC cell metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these results demonstrate that GCMA functions as an oncogenic lncRNA that may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for GC and shed new lights on targeted therapy of GC in the future.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-020-1330-4