1
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Sato K, Takayama KI, Saito Y, Inoue S. ERRα and ERRγ coordinate expression of genes associated with Alzheimer's disease, inhibiting DKK1 to suppress tau phosphorylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2406854121. [PMID: 39231208 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2406854121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive decline and learning/memory impairment associated with neuronal cell loss. Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) and ERRγ, which are highly expressed in the brain, have emerged as potential AD regulators, with unelucidated underlying mechanisms. Here, we identified genome-wide binding sites for ERRα and ERRγ in human neuronal cells. They commonly target a subset of genes associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Notably, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist, was transcriptionally repressed by both ERRα and ERRγ in human neuronal cells and brain. ERRα and ERRγ repress RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) accessibility at the DKK1 promoter by modulating a specific active histone modification, histone H3 lysine acetylation (H3K9ac), with the potential contribution of their corepressor. This transcriptional repression maintains Wnt signaling activity, preventing tau phosphorylation and promoting a healthy neuronal state in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Sato
- Department of Systems Aging Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
- Integrated Research Initiative for Living Well with Dementia, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Takayama
- Department of Systems Aging Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology (Brain Bank for Aging Research), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Satoshi Inoue
- Department of Systems Aging Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
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2
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Bai X, Yao HC, Wu B, Liu LR, Ding YY, Xiao CL. DeepBAM: a high-accuracy single-molecule CpG methylation detection tool for Oxford nanopore sequencing. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae413. [PMID: 39177264 PMCID: PMC11342253 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent nanopore sequencing system (R10.4) has enhanced base calling accuracy and is being increasingly utilized for detecting CpG methylation state. However, the robustness and universality of the methylation calling model in officially supplied Dorado remains poorly tested. In this study, we obtained heterogeneous datasets from human and plant sources to carry out comprehensive evaluations, which showed that Dorado performed significantly different across datasets. We therefore developed deep neural networks and implemented several optimizations in training a new model called DeepBAM. DeepBAM achieved superior and more stable performances compared with Dorado, including higher area under the ROC curves (98.47% on average and up to 7.36% improvement) and F1 scores (94.97% on average and up to 16.24% improvement) across the datasets. DeepBAM-based whole genome methylation frequencies have achieved >0.95 correlations with BS-seq on four of five datasets, outperforming Dorado in all instances. It enables unraveling allele-specific methylation patterns, including regions of transposable elements. The enhanced performance of DeepBAM paves the way for broader applications of nanopore sequencing in CpG methylation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Hui-Cong Yao
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Sun Yat-Sen University, Gaoxin District, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Bo Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Luo-Ran Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yu-Ying Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Chuan-Le Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 7 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510060, China
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3
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Mielnicka M, Tabaro F, Sureka R, Acurzio B, Paoletti R, Scavizzi F, Raspa M, Crevenna AH, Lapouge K, Remans K, Boulard M. Trim66's paternal deficiency causes intrauterine overgrowth. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302512. [PMID: 38719749 PMCID: PMC11077763 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The tripartite motif-containing protein 66 (TRIM66, also known as TIF1-delta) is a PHD-Bromo-containing protein primarily expressed in post-meiotic male germ cells known as spermatids. Biophysical assays showed that the TRIM66 PHD-Bromodomain binds to H3 N-terminus only when lysine 4 is unmethylated. We addressed TRIM66's role in reproduction by loss-of-function genetics in the mouse. Males homozygous for Trim66-null mutations produced functional spermatozoa. Round spermatids lacking TRIM66 up-regulated a network of genes involved in histone acetylation and H3K4 methylation. Profiling of H3K4me3 patterns in the sperm produced by the Trim66-null mutant showed minor alterations below statistical significance. Unexpectedly, Trim66-null males, but not females, sired pups overweight at birth, hence revealing that Trim66 mutations cause a paternal effect phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Mielnicka
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Francesco Tabaro
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Rahul Sureka
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Basilia Acurzio
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Scavizzi
- National Research Council (IBBC), CNR-Campus International Development (EMMA-INFRAFRONTIER-IMPC), Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- National Research Council (IBBC), CNR-Campus International Development (EMMA-INFRAFRONTIER-IMPC), Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Alvaro H Crevenna
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Karine Lapouge
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kim Remans
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthieu Boulard
- https://ror.org/01yr73893 Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy
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4
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He J, Huo X, Pei G, Jia Z, Yan Y, Yu J, Qu H, Xie Y, Yuan J, Zheng Y, Hu Y, Shi M, You K, Li T, Ma T, Zhang MQ, Ding S, Li P, Li Y. Dual-role transcription factors stabilize intermediate expression levels. Cell 2024; 187:2746-2766.e25. [PMID: 38631355 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Precise control of gene expression levels is essential for normal cell functions, yet how they are defined and tightly maintained, particularly at intermediate levels, remains elusive. Here, using a series of newly developed sequencing, imaging, and functional assays, we uncover a class of transcription factors with dual roles as activators and repressors, referred to as condensate-forming level-regulating dual-action transcription factors (TFs). They reduce high expression but increase low expression to achieve stable intermediate levels. Dual-action TFs directly exert activating and repressing functions via condensate-forming domains that compartmentalize core transcriptional unit selectively. Clinically relevant mutations in these domains, which are linked to a range of developmental disorders, impair condensate selectivity and dual-action TF activity. These results collectively address a fundamental question in expression regulation and demonstrate the potential of level-regulating dual-action TFs as powerful effectors for engineering controlled expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinnan He
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiangru Huo
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Gaofeng Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zeran Jia
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yiming Yan
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiawei Yu
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haozhi Qu
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yunxin Xie
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Junsong Yuan
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuan Zheng
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanyan Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Minglei Shi
- Bioinformatics Division, National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kaiqiang You
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Tianhua Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Michael Q Zhang
- Bioinformatics Division, National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Systems Biology, The University of Texas, Dallas, TX 75080-3021, USA
| | - Sheng Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Pilong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Yinqing Li
- The IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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5
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Boyboy BAG, Ichiyanagi K. Insertion of short L1 sequences generates inter-strain histone acetylation differences in the mouse. Mob DNA 2024; 15:11. [PMID: 38730323 PMCID: PMC11084082 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-024-00321-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression divergence between populations and between individuals can emerge from genetic variations within the genes and/or in the cis regulatory elements. Since epigenetic modifications regulate gene expression, it is conceivable that epigenetic variations in cis regulatory elements can also be a source of gene expression divergence. RESULTS In this study, we compared histone acetylation (namely, H3K9ac) profiles in two mouse strains of different subspecies origin, C57BL/6 J (B6) and MSM/Ms (MSM), as well as their F1 hybrids. This identified 319 regions of strain-specific acetylation, about half of which were observed between the alleles of F1 hybrids. While the allele-specific presence of the interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) binding sequence was associated with allele-specific histone acetylation, we also revealed that B6-specific insertions of a short 3' fragment of LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposon occur within or proximal to MSM-specific acetylated regions. Furthermore, even in hyperacetylated domains, flanking regions of non-polymorphic 3' L1 fragments were hypoacetylated, suggesting a general activity of the 3' L1 fragment to induce hypoacetylation. Indeed, we confirmed the binding of the 3' region of L1 by three Krüppel-associated box domain-containing zinc finger proteins (KZFPs), which interact with histone deacetylases. These results suggest that even a short insertion of L1 would be excluded from gene- and acetylation-rich regions by natural selection. Finally, mRNA-seq analysis for F1 hybrids was carried out, which disclosed a link between allele-specific promoter/enhancer acetylation and gene expression. CONCLUSIONS This study disclosed a number of genetic changes that have changed the histone acetylation levels during the evolution of mouse subspecies, a part of which is associated with gene expression changes. Insertions of even a very short L1 fragment can decrease the acetylation level in their neighboring regions and thereby have been counter-selected in gene-rich regions, which may explain a long-standing mystery of discrete genomic distribution of LINEs and SINEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Ann G Boyboy
- Laboratory of Genome and Epigenome Dynamics, Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Kenji Ichiyanagi
- Laboratory of Genome and Epigenome Dynamics, Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
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6
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Johnston RA, Aracena KA, Barreiro LB, Lea AJ, Tung J. DNA methylation-environment interactions in the human genome. eLife 2024; 12:RP89371. [PMID: 38407202 PMCID: PMC10942648 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Previously, we showed that a massively parallel reporter assay, mSTARR-seq, could be used to simultaneously test for both enhancer-like activity and DNA methylation-dependent enhancer activity for millions of loci in a single experiment (Lea et al., 2018). Here, we apply mSTARR-seq to query nearly the entire human genome, including almost all CpG sites profiled either on the commonly used Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array or via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We show that fragments containing these sites are enriched for regulatory capacity, and that methylation-dependent regulatory activity is in turn sensitive to the cellular environment. In particular, regulatory responses to interferon alpha (IFNA) stimulation are strongly attenuated by methyl marks, indicating widespread DNA methylation-environment interactions. In agreement, methylation-dependent responses to IFNA identified via mSTARR-seq predict methylation-dependent transcriptional responses to challenge with influenza virus in human macrophages. Our observations support the idea that pre-existing DNA methylation patterns can influence the response to subsequent environmental exposures-one of the tenets of biological embedding. However, we also find that, on average, sites previously associated with early life adversity are not more likely to functionally influence gene regulation than expected by chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Zoo New EnglandBostonUnited States
- Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | | | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Committee on Immunology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
- Canadian Institute for Advanced ResearchTorontoCanada
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Canadian Institute for Advanced ResearchTorontoCanada
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
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7
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Viner C, Ishak CA, Johnson J, Walker NJ, Shi H, Sjöberg-Herrera MK, Shen SY, Lardo SM, Adams DJ, Ferguson-Smith AC, De Carvalho DD, Hainer SJ, Bailey TL, Hoffman MM. Modeling methyl-sensitive transcription factor motifs with an expanded epigenetic alphabet. Genome Biol 2024; 25:11. [PMID: 38191487 PMCID: PMC10773111 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03070-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factors bind DNA in specific sequence contexts. In addition to distinguishing one nucleobase from another, some transcription factors can distinguish between unmodified and modified bases. Current models of transcription factor binding tend not to take DNA modifications into account, while the recent few that do often have limitations. This makes a comprehensive and accurate profiling of transcription factor affinities difficult. RESULTS Here, we develop methods to identify transcription factor binding sites in modified DNA. Our models expand the standard A/C/G/T DNA alphabet to include cytosine modifications. We develop Cytomod to create modified genomic sequences and we also enhance the MEME Suite, adding the capacity to handle custom alphabets. We adapt the well-established position weight matrix (PWM) model of transcription factor binding affinity to this expanded DNA alphabet. Using these methods, we identify modification-sensitive transcription factor binding motifs. We confirm established binding preferences, such as the preference of ZFP57 and C/EBPβ for methylated motifs and the preference of c-Myc for unmethylated E-box motifs. CONCLUSIONS Using known binding preferences to tune model parameters, we discover novel modified motifs for a wide array of transcription factors. Finally, we validate our binding preference predictions for OCT4 using cleavage under targets and release using nuclease (CUT&RUN) experiments across conventional, methylation-, and hydroxymethylation-enriched sequences. Our approach readily extends to other DNA modifications. As more genome-wide single-base resolution modification data becomes available, we expect that our method will yield insights into altered transcription factor binding affinities across many different modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coby Viner
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Charles A Ishak
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - James Johnson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicolas J Walker
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
| | - Hui Shi
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
| | - Marcela K Sjöberg-Herrera
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, England
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Shu Yi Shen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Santana M Lardo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah J Hainer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Timothy L Bailey
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Michael M Hoffman
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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8
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Derakhshan M, Kessler NJ, Hellenthal G, Silver MJ. Metastable epialleles in humans. Trends Genet 2024; 40:52-68. [PMID: 38000919 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
First identified in isogenic mice, metastable epialleles (MEs) are loci where the extent of DNA methylation (DNAm) is variable between individuals but correlates across tissues derived from different germ layers within a given individual. This property, termed systemic interindividual variation (SIV), is attributed to stochastic methylation establishment before germ layer differentiation. Evidence suggests that some putative human MEs are sensitive to environmental exposures in early development. In this review we introduce key concepts pertaining to human MEs, describe methods used to identify MEs in humans, and review their genomic features. We also highlight studies linking DNAm at putative human MEs to early environmental exposures and postnatal (including disease) phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Derakhshan
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Noah J Kessler
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | | | - Matt J Silver
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia.
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9
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Johnston RA, Aracena KA, Barreiro LB, Lea AJ, Tung J. DNA methylation-environment interactions in the human genome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.541437. [PMID: 37293015 PMCID: PMC10245841 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.541437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Previously we showed that a massively parallel reporter assay, mSTARR-seq, could be used to simultaneously test for both enhancer-like activity and DNA methylation-dependent enhancer activity for millions of loci in a single experiment (Lea et al., 2018). Here we apply mSTARR-seq to query nearly the entire human genome, including almost all CpG sites profiled either on the commonly used Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array or via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We show that fragments containing these sites are enriched for regulatory capacity, and that methylation-dependent regulatory activity is in turn sensitive to the cellular environment. In particular, regulatory responses to interferon alpha (IFNA) stimulation are strongly attenuated by methyl marks, indicating widespread DNA methylation-environment interactions. In agreement, methylation-dependent responses to IFNA identified via mSTARR-seq predict methylation-dependent transcriptional responses to challenge with influenza virus in human macrophages. Our observations support the idea that pre-existing DNA methylation patterns can influence the response to subsequent environmental exposures-one of the tenets of biological embedding. However, we also find that, on average, sites previously associated with early life adversity are not more likely to functionally influence gene regulation than expected by chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Zoo New England, Boston, MA 02121, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1Z8
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1Z8
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
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10
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Flint J, Heffel MG, Chen Z, Mefford J, Marcus E, Chen PB, Ernst J, Luo C. Single-cell methylation analysis of brain tissue prioritizes mutations that alter transcription. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100454. [PMID: 38116123 PMCID: PMC10726494 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Relating genetic variants to behavior remains a fundamental challenge. To assess the utility of DNA methylation marks in discovering causative variants, we examined their relationship to genetic variation by generating single-nucleus methylomes from the hippocampus of eight inbred mouse strains. At CpG sequence densities under 40 CpG/Kb, cells compensate for loss of methylated sites by methylating additional sites to maintain methylation levels. At higher CpG sequence densities, the exact location of a methylated site becomes more important, suggesting that variants affecting methylation will have a greater effect when occurring in higher CpG densities than in lower. We found this to be true for a variant's effect on transcript abundance, indicating that candidate variants can be prioritized based on CpG sequence density. Our findings imply that DNA methylation influences the likelihood that mutations occur at specific sites in the genome, supporting the view that the distribution of mutations is not random.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Flint
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Matthew G Heffel
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zeyuan Chen
- Department of Computer Science, Samueli School of Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel Mefford
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emilie Marcus
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Patrick B Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason Ernst
- Department of Computer Science, Samueli School of Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chongyuan Luo
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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11
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Kretschmer M, Fischer V, Gapp K. When Dad's Stress Gets under Kid's Skin-Impacts of Stress on Germline Cargo and Embryonic Development. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1750. [PMID: 38136621 PMCID: PMC10742275 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that paternal psychological stress contributes to an increased prevalence of neuropsychiatric and metabolic diseases in the progeny. While altered paternal care certainly plays a role in such transmitted disease risk, molecular factors in the germline might additionally be at play in humans. This is supported by findings on changes to the molecular make up of germ cells and suggests an epigenetic component in transmission. Several rodent studies demonstrate the correlation between paternal stress induced changes in epigenetic modifications and offspring phenotypic alterations, yet some intriguing cases also start to show mechanistic links in between sperm and the early embryo. In this review, we summarise efforts to understand the mechanism of intergenerational transmission from sperm to the early embryo. In particular, we highlight how stress alters epigenetic modifications in sperm and discuss the potential for these modifications to propagate modified molecular trajectories in the early embryo to give rise to aberrant phenotypes in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Kretschmer
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Fischer
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Gapp
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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12
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Williams CJ, Dai D, Tran KA, Monroe JG, Williams BP. Dynamic DNA methylation turnover in gene bodies is associated with enhanced gene expression plasticity in plants. Genome Biol 2023; 24:227. [PMID: 37828516 PMCID: PMC10571256 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03059-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In several eukaryotes, DNA methylation occurs within the coding regions of many genes, termed gene body methylation (GbM). Whereas the role of DNA methylation on the silencing of transposons and repetitive DNA is well understood, gene body methylation is not associated with transcriptional repression, and its biological importance remains unclear. RESULTS We report a newly discovered type of GbM in plants, which is under constitutive addition and removal by dynamic methylation modifiers in all cells, including the germline. Methylation at Dynamic GbM genes is removed by the DRDD demethylation pathway and added by an unknown source of de novo methylation, most likely the maintenance methyltransferase MET1. We show that the Dynamic GbM state is present at homologous genes across divergent lineages spanning over 100 million years, indicating evolutionary conservation. We demonstrate that Dynamic GbM is tightly associated with the presence of a promoter or regulatory chromatin state within the gene body, in contrast to other gene body methylated genes. We find Dynamic GbM is associated with enhanced gene expression plasticity across development and diverse physiological conditions, whereas stably methylated GbM genes exhibit reduced plasticity. Dynamic GbM genes exhibit reduced dynamic range in drdd mutants, indicating a causal link between DNA demethylation and enhanced gene expression plasticity. CONCLUSIONS We propose a new model for GbM in regulating gene expression plasticity, including a novel type of GbM in which increased gene expression plasticity is associated with the activity of DNA methylation writers and erasers and the enrichment of a regulatory chromatin state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara J Williams
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Dawei Dai
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Kevin A Tran
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - J Grey Monroe
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Ben P Williams
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA.
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13
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Chen D, Wang J, Li Y, Xu C, Fanzheng M, Zhang P, Liu L. LncRNA NEAT1 suppresses cellular senescence in hepatocellular carcinoma via KIF11-dependent repression of CDKN2A. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1418. [PMID: 37752791 PMCID: PMC10522973 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Therapeutic options for advanced HCC are limited, which is due to a lack of full understanding of pathogenesis. Cellular senescence is a state of cell cycle arrest, which plays important roles in the pathogenesis of HCC. Mechanisms underlying hepatocellular senescence are not fully understood. LncRNA NEAT1 acts as an oncogene and contributes to the development of HCC. Whether NEAT1 modulates hepatocellular senescence in HCC is unknown. METHODS The role of NEAT1 and KIF11 in cellular senescence and tumor growth in HCC was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. RNA pulldown, mass spectrometry, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), luciferase reporter assays, RNA FISH and immunofluorescence (IF) staining were used to explore the detailed molecular mechanism of NEAT1 and KIF11 in cellular senescence of HCC. RESULTS We found that NEAT1 was upregulated in tumor tissues and hepatoma cells, which negatively correlated with a senescence biomarker CDKN2A encoding p16INK4a and p14ARF proteins. NEAT1 was reduced in senescent hepatoma cells induced by doxorubicin (DOXO) or serum starvation. Furthermore, NEAT1 deficiency caused senescence in cultured hepatoma cells, and protected against the progression of HCC in a mouse model. During senescence, NEAT1 translocated into cytosol and interacted with a motor protein KIF11, resulting in KIF11 protein degradation and subsequent increased expression of CDKN2A in cultured hepatoma cells. Furthermore, KIF11 knockdown caused senescence in cultured hepatoma cells. Genetic deletion of Kif11 in hepatocytes inhibited the development of HCC in a mouse model. CONCLUSIONS Conclusively, NEAT1 overexpression reduces senescence and promotes tumor progression in HCC tissues and hepatoma cells, whereas NEAT1 deficiency causes senescence and inhibits tumor progression in HCC. This is associated with KIF11-dependent repression of CDKN2A. These findings lay the foundation to develop potential therapies for HCC by inhibiting NEAT1 and KIF11 or inducing senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danlei Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary SurgeryHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary DiseasesHefeiAnhuiChina
| | - Jinghao Wang
- Zhejiang Cancer HospitalHangzhou Institute of MedicineChinese Academy of SciencesHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yang Li
- Zhejiang Cancer HospitalHangzhou Institute of MedicineChinese Academy of SciencesHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Chenglin Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
| | - Meng Fanzheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary SurgeryHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary DiseasesHefeiAnhuiChina
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
- Zhejiang Cancer HospitalHangzhou Institute of MedicineChinese Academy of SciencesHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Lianxin Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary SurgeryHefeiAnhuiChina
- Anhui Provincial Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary DiseasesHefeiAnhuiChina
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14
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Gerdes P, Chan D, Lundberg M, Sanchez-Luque FJ, Bodea GO, Ewing AD, Faulkner GJ, Richardson SR. Locus-resolution analysis of L1 regulation and retrotransposition potential in mouse embryonic development. Genome Res 2023; 33:1465-1481. [PMID: 37798118 PMCID: PMC10620060 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278003.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Mice harbor ∼2800 intact copies of the retrotransposon Long Interspersed Element 1 (L1). The in vivo retrotransposition capacity of an L1 copy is defined by both its sequence integrity and epigenetic status, including DNA methylation of the monomeric units constituting young mouse L1 promoters. Locus-specific L1 methylation dynamics during development may therefore elucidate and explain spatiotemporal niches of endogenous retrotransposition but remain unresolved. Here, we interrogate the retrotransposition efficiency and epigenetic fate of source (donor) L1s, identified as mobile in vivo. We show that promoter monomer loss consistently attenuates the relative retrotransposition potential of their offspring (daughter) L1 insertions. We also observe that most donor/daughter L1 pairs are efficiently methylated upon differentiation in vivo and in vitro. We use Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-read sequencing to resolve L1 methylation genome-wide and at individual L1 loci, revealing a distinctive "smile" pattern in methylation levels across the L1 promoter region. Using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) SMRT sequencing of L1 5' RACE products, we then examine DNA methylation dynamics at the mouse L1 promoter in parallel with transcription start site (TSS) distribution at locus-specific resolution. Together, our results offer a novel perspective on the interplay between epigenetic repression, L1 evolution, and genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Gerdes
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Dorothy Chan
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Mischa Lundberg
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Translational Bioinformatics, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Sydney, New South Wales 2113, Australia
| | - Francisco J Sanchez-Luque
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- GENYO. Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, 18016, Spain
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGC), University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela O Bodea
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Adam D Ewing
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J Faulkner
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia;
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Sandra R Richardson
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia;
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15
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Sainty R, Silver MJ, Prentice AM, Monk D. The influence of early environment and micronutrient availability on developmental epigenetic programming: lessons from the placenta. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1212199. [PMID: 37484911 PMCID: PMC10358779 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1212199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is the most commonly studied epigenetic mark in humans, as it is well recognised as a stable, heritable mark that can affect genome function and influence gene expression. Somatic DNA methylation patterns that can persist throughout life are established shortly after fertilisation when the majority of epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation, are erased from the pre-implantation embryo. Therefore, the period around conception is potentially critical for influencing DNA methylation, including methylation at imprinted alleles and metastable epialleles (MEs), loci where methylation varies between individuals but is correlated across tissues. Exposures before and during conception can affect pregnancy outcomes and health throughout life. Retrospective studies of the survivors of famines, such as those exposed to the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-45, have linked exposures around conception to later disease outcomes, some of which correlate with DNA methylation changes at certain genes. Animal models have shown more directly that DNA methylation can be affected by dietary supplements that act as cofactors in one-carbon metabolism, and in humans, methylation at birth has been associated with peri-conceptional micronutrient supplementation. However, directly showing a role of micronutrients in shaping the epigenome has proven difficult. Recently, the placenta, a tissue with a unique hypomethylated methylome, has been shown to possess great inter-individual variability, which we highlight as a promising target tissue for studying MEs and mixed environmental exposures. The placenta has a critical role shaping the health of the fetus. Placenta-associated pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, are all associated with aberrant patterns of DNA methylation and expression which are only now being linked to disease risk later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Sainty
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Matt J. Silver
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew M. Prentice
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - David Monk
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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16
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Knott MML, Rechavi O. Transgenerational inheritance of engineered cytosine methylation in mice. Cell Res 2023; 33:489-490. [PMID: 37012411 PMCID: PMC10313680 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00799-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian M L Knott
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Oded Rechavi
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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17
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Vu H, Ernst J. Universal chromatin state annotation of the mouse genome. Genome Biol 2023; 24:153. [PMID: 37370147 PMCID: PMC10294404 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02994-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A large-scale application of the "stacked modeling" approach for chromatin state discovery previously provides a single "universal" chromatin state annotation of the human genome based jointly on data from many cell and tissue types. Here, we produce an analogous chromatin state annotation for mouse based on 901 datasets assaying 14 chromatin marks in 26 cell or tissue types. To characterize each chromatin state, we relate the states to external annotations and compare them to analogously defined human states. We expect the universal chromatin state annotation for mouse to be a useful resource for studying this key model organism's genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Vu
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jason Ernst
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Computer Science Department, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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18
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Enriquez-Gasca R, Gould PA, Tunbak H, Conde L, Herrero J, Chittka A, Beck CR, Gifford R, Rowe HM. Co-option of endogenous retroviruses through genetic escape from TRIM28 repression. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112625. [PMID: 37294634 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have rewired host gene networks. To explore the origins of co-option, we employed an active murine ERV, IAPEz, and an embryonic stem cell (ESC) to neural progenitor cell (NPC) differentiation model. Transcriptional silencing via TRIM28 maps to a 190 bp sequence encoding the intracisternal A-type particle (IAP) signal peptide, which confers retrotransposition activity. A subset of "escapee" IAPs (∼15%) exhibits significant genetic divergence from this sequence. Canonical repressed IAPs succumb to a previously undocumented demarcation by H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 in NPCs. Escapee IAPs, in contrast, evade repression in both cell types, resulting in their transcriptional derepression, particularly in NPCs. We validate the enhancer function of a 47 bp sequence within the U3 region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) and show that escapee IAPs convey an activating effect on nearby neural genes. In sum, co-opted ERVs stem from genetic escapees that have lost vital sequences required for both TRIM28 restriction and autonomous retrotransposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Enriquez-Gasca
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK.
| | - Poppy A Gould
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Hale Tunbak
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Lucia Conde
- Bill Lyons Informatics Centre, UCL Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Javier Herrero
- Bill Lyons Informatics Centre, UCL Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Alexandra Chittka
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Christine R Beck
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Connecticut, JAX CT, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Robert Gifford
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow G611QH, UK
| | - Helen M Rowe
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK.
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19
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Sarkar G, Greer EL. Inheritance of directed DNA cytosine methylation in mammals. Lab Anim (NY) 2023; 52:105-107. [PMID: 37072617 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-023-01158-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Sarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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20
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Lismer A, Kimmins S. Emerging evidence that the mammalian sperm epigenome serves as a template for embryo development. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2142. [PMID: 37059740 PMCID: PMC10104880 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37820-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Although more studies are demonstrating that a father's environment can influence child health and disease, the molecular mechanisms underlying non-genetic inheritance remain unclear. It was previously thought that sperm exclusively contributed its genome to the egg. More recently, association studies have shown that various environmental exposures including poor diet, toxicants, and stress, perturbed epigenetic marks in sperm at important reproductive and developmental loci that were associated with offspring phenotypes. The molecular and cellular routes that underlie how epigenetic marks are transmitted at fertilization, to resist epigenetic reprogramming in the embryo, and drive phenotypic changes are only now beginning to be unraveled. Here, we provide an overview of the state of the field of intergenerational paternal epigenetic inheritance in mammals and present new insights into the relationship between embryo development and the three pillars of epigenetic inheritance: chromatin, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNAs. We evaluate compelling evidence of sperm-mediated transmission and retention of paternal epigenetic marks in the embryo. Using landmark examples, we discuss how sperm-inherited regions may escape reprogramming to impact development via mechanisms that implicate transcription factors, chromatin organization, and transposable elements. Finally, we link paternally transmitted epigenetic marks to functional changes in the pre- and post-implantation embryo. Understanding how sperm-inherited epigenetic factors influence embryo development will permit a greater understanding related to the developmental origins of health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Lismer
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Sarah Kimmins
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada.
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21
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Sharif J, Koseki H, Parrish NF. Bridging multiple dimensions: roles of transposable elements in higher-order genome regulation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 80:102035. [PMID: 37028152 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) such as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) occupy nearly half of typical mammalian genomes. Previous studies show that these parasitic elements, especially LINEs and ERVs, provide important activities promoting host germ cell and placental development, preimplantation embryogenesis, and maintenance of pluripotent stem cells. Despite being the most numerically abundant type of TEs in the genome, the consequences of SINEs on host genome regulation are less well characterized than those of ERVs and LINEs. Interestingly, recent findings reveal that SINEs recruit the key architectural protein CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor), indicating a role of these elements for 3D genome regulation. Higher-order nuclear structures are linked with important cellular functions such as gene regulation and DNA replication. SINEs and other TEs, therefore, may mediate distinct physiological processes with benefits to the host by modulating the 3D genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jafar Sharif
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Haruhiko Koseki
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - Nicholas F Parrish
- Genome Immunobiology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences and RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Yokohama, Japan.
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22
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Cheng S, Mayshar Y, Stelzer Y. Induced epigenetic changes memorized across generations in mice. Cell 2023; 186:683-685. [PMID: 36803599 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals has long been debatable. In this issue of Cell, Takahashi et al. induce DNA methylation at promoter-associated CpG islands (CGIs) of two metabolism-related genes and show that the acquired epigenetic changes and associated metabolic phenotypes are stably propagated across several generations in transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saifeng Cheng
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yoav Mayshar
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yonatan Stelzer
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel.
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23
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Babushkina NP, Kucher AN. Regulatory Potential of SNP Markers in Genes of DNA Repair Systems. Mol Biol 2023. [DOI: 10.1134/s002689332301003x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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24
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Ding W, Kaur D, Horvath S, Zhou W. Comparative epigenome analysis using Infinium DNA methylation BeadChips. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:6974838. [PMID: 36617464 PMCID: PMC10147478 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The arrival of the Infinium DNA methylation BeadChips for mice and other nonhuman mammalian species has outpaced the development of the informatics that supports their use for epigenetics study in model organisms. Here, we present informatics infrastructure and methods to allow easy DNA methylation analysis on multiple species, including domesticated animals and inbred laboratory mice (in SeSAMe version 1.16.0+). First, we developed a data-driven analysis pipeline covering species inference, genome-specific data preprocessing and regression modeling. We targeted genomes of 310 species and 37 inbred mouse strains and showed that genome-specific preprocessing prevents artifacts and yields more accurate measurements than generic pipelines. Second, we uncovered the dynamics of the epigenome evolution in different genomic territories and tissue types through comparative analysis. We identified a catalog of inbred mouse strain-specific methylation differences, some of which are linked to the strains' immune, metabolic and neurological phenotypes. By streamlining DNA methylation array analysis for undesigned genomes, our methods extend epigenome research to broad species contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wubin Ding
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Diljeet Kaur
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Dept. of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Wanding Zhou
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Autoimmune hepatitis has an unknown cause and genetic associations that are not disease-specific or always present. Clarification of its missing causality and heritability could improve prevention and management strategies. AIMS Describe the key epigenetic and genetic mechanisms that could account for missing causality and heritability in autoimmune hepatitis; indicate the prospects of these mechanisms as pivotal factors; and encourage investigations of their pathogenic role and therapeutic potential. METHODS English abstracts were identified in PubMed using multiple key search phases. Several hundred abstracts and 210 full-length articles were reviewed. RESULTS Environmental induction of epigenetic changes is the prime candidate for explaining the missing causality of autoimmune hepatitis. Environmental factors (diet, toxic exposures) can alter chromatin structure and the production of micro-ribonucleic acids that affect gene expression. Epistatic interaction between unsuspected genes is the prime candidate for explaining the missing heritability. The non-additive, interactive effects of multiple genes could enhance their impact on the propensity and phenotype of autoimmune hepatitis. Transgenerational inheritance of acquired epigenetic marks constitutes another mechanism of transmitting parental adaptations that could affect susceptibility. Management strategies could range from lifestyle adjustments and nutritional supplements to precision editing of the epigenetic landscape. CONCLUSIONS Autoimmune hepatitis has a missing causality that might be explained by epigenetic changes induced by environmental factors and a missing heritability that might reflect epistatic gene interactions or transgenerational transmission of acquired epigenetic marks. These unassessed or under-evaluated areas warrant investigation.
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Activation of stably silenced genes by recruitment of a synthetic de-methylating module. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5582. [PMID: 36151095 PMCID: PMC9508233 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33181-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Stably silenced genes that display a high level of CpG dinucleotide methylation are refractory to the current generation of dCas9-based activation systems. To counter this, we create an improved activation system by coupling the catalytic domain of DNA demethylating enzyme TET1 with transcriptional activators (TETact). We show that TETact demethylation-coupled activation is able to induce transcription of suppressed genes, both individually and simultaneously in cells, and has utility across a number of cell types. Furthermore, we show that TETact can effectively reactivate embryonic haemoglobin genes in non-erythroid cells. We anticipate that TETact will expand the existing CRISPR toolbox and be valuable for functional studies, genetic screens and potential therapeutics. Stably silenced genes with methylated CpG at the promoter are refractory to current CRISPR activation systems. Here the authors create a more robust activation system, TETact that recruits DNA-demethylating TET1 with transcriptional activators.
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Naik M, Rueda L, Vasighizaker A. Identification of Enriched Regions in ChIP-Seq Data via a Linear-Time Multi-Level Thresholding Algorithm. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 19:2842-2850. [PMID: 34398762 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2021.3104734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-Seq) has emerged as a superior alternative to microarray technology as it provides higher resolution, less noise, greater coverage and wider dynamic range. While ChIP-Seq enables probing of DNA-protein interaction over the entire genome, it requires the use of sophisticated tools to recognize hidden patterns and extract meaningful data. Over the years, various attempts have resulted in several algorithms making use of different heuristics to accurately determine individual peaks corresponding to unique DNA-protein. However, finding all the significant peaks with high accuracy in a reasonable time is still a challenge. In this work, we propose the use of Multi-level thresholding algorithm, which we call LinMLTBS, used to identify the enriched regions on ChIP-Seq data. Although various suboptimal heuristics have been proposed for multi-level thresholding, we emphasize on the use of an algorithm capable of obtaining an optimal solution, while maintaining linear-time complexity. Testing various algorithm on various ENCODE project datasets shows that our approach attains higher accuracy relative to previously proposed peak finders while retaining a reasonable processing speed.
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28
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Zhou W, Hinoue T, Barnes B, Mitchell O, Iqbal W, Lee SM, Foy KK, Lee KH, Moyer EJ, VanderArk A, Koeman JM, Ding W, Kalkat M, Spix NJ, Eagleson B, Pospisilik JA, Szabó PE, Bartolomei MS, Vander Schaaf NA, Kang L, Wiseman AK, Jones PA, Krawczyk CM, Adams M, Porecha R, Chen BH, Shen H, Laird PW. DNA methylation dynamics and dysregulation delineated by high-throughput profiling in the mouse. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:100144. [PMID: 35873672 PMCID: PMC9306256 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
We have developed a mouse DNA methylation array that contains 296,070 probes representing the diversity of mouse DNA methylation biology. We present a mouse methylation atlas as a rich reference resource of 1,239 DNA samples encompassing distinct tissues, strains, ages, sexes, and pathologies. We describe applications for comparative epigenomics, genomic imprinting, epigenetic inhibitors, patient-derived xenograft assessment, backcross tracing, and epigenetic clocks. We dissect DNA methylation processes associated with differentiation, aging, and tumorigenesis. Notably, we find that tissue-specific methylation signatures localize to binding sites for transcription factors controlling the corresponding tissue development. Age-associated hypermethylation is enriched at regions of Polycomb repression, while hypomethylation is enhanced at regions bound by cohesin complex members. Apc Min/+ polyp-associated hypermethylation affects enhancers regulating intestinal differentiation, while hypomethylation targets AP-1 binding sites. This Infinium Mouse Methylation BeadChip (version MM285) is widely accessible to the research community and will accelerate high-sample-throughput studies in this important model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanding Zhou
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Toshinori Hinoue
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Bret Barnes
- Illumina, Inc., Bioinformatics and Instrument Software Department, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
| | - Owen Mitchell
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Waleed Iqbal
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sol Moe Lee
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kelly K. Foy
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kwang-Ho Lee
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ethan J. Moyer
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexandra VanderArk
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Julie M. Koeman
- Genomics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Wubin Ding
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Manpreet Kalkat
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Nathan J. Spix
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Bryn Eagleson
- Vivarium and Transgenics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | - Piroska E. Szabó
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Marisa S. Bartolomei
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Liang Kang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ashley K. Wiseman
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Peter A. Jones
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Connie M. Krawczyk
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Marie Adams
- Genomics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Rishi Porecha
- Illumina, Inc., Bioinformatics and Instrument Software Department, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
| | | | - Hui Shen
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Peter W. Laird
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author
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Derakhshan M, Kessler NJ, Ishida M, Demetriou C, Brucato N, Moore G, Fall CHD, Chandak GR, Ricaut FX, Prentice A, Hellenthal G, Silver M. Tissue- and ethnicity-independent hypervariable DNA methylation states show evidence of establishment in the early human embryo. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:6735-6752. [PMID: 35713545 PMCID: PMC9749461 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We analysed DNA methylation data from 30 datasets comprising 3474 individuals, 19 tissues and 8 ethnicities at CpGs covered by the Illumina450K array. We identified 4143 hypervariable CpGs ('hvCpGs') with methylation in the top 5% most variable sites across multiple tissues and ethnicities. hvCpG methylation was influenced but not determined by genetic variation, and was not linked to probe reliability, epigenetic drift, age, sex or cell heterogeneity effects. hvCpG methylation tended to covary across tissues derived from different germ-layers and hvCpGs were enriched for proximity to ERV1 and ERVK retrovirus elements. hvCpGs were also enriched for loci previously associated with periconceptional environment, parent-of-origin-specific methylation, and distinctive methylation signatures in monozygotic twins. Together, these properties position hvCpGs as strong candidates for studying how stochastic and/or environmentally influenced DNA methylation states which are established in the early embryo and maintained stably thereafter can influence life-long health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noah J Kessler
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Miho Ishida
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK
| | | | - Nicolas Brucato
- Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université
de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS,Toulouse, France
| | | | - Caroline H D Fall
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton,
Southampton, UK
| | - Giriraj R Chandak
- Genomic Research on Complex Diseases (GRC Group), CSIR-Centre for Cellular
and Molecular Biology,Hyderabad, India
| | - Francois-Xavier Ricaut
- Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université
de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS,Toulouse, France
| | - Andrew M Prentice
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine, The Gambia
| | - Garrett Hellenthal
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London,
Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Matt J Silver
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine, The Gambia
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30
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Fueyo R, Judd J, Feschotte C, Wysocka J. Roles of transposable elements in the regulation of mammalian transcription. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:481-497. [PMID: 35228718 PMCID: PMC10470143 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00457-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise about half of the mammalian genome. TEs often contain sequences capable of recruiting the host transcription machinery, which they use to express their own products and promote transposition. However, the regulatory sequences carried by TEs may affect host transcription long after the TEs have lost the ability to transpose. Recent advances in genome analysis and engineering have facilitated systematic interrogation of the regulatory activities of TEs. In this Review, we discuss diverse mechanisms by which TEs contribute to transcription regulation. Notably, TEs can donate enhancer and promoter sequences that influence the expression of host genes, modify 3D chromatin architecture and give rise to novel regulatory genes, including non-coding RNAs and transcription factors. We discuss how TEs spur regulatory evolution and facilitate the emergence of genetic novelties in mammalian physiology and development. By virtue of their repetitive and interspersed nature, TEs offer unique opportunities to dissect the effects of mutation and genomic context on the function and evolution of cis-regulatory elements. We argue that TE-centric studies hold the key to unlocking general principles of transcription regulation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Fueyo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julius Judd
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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31
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A hypothesis: Retrotransposons as a relay of epigenetic marks in intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. Gene 2022; 817:146229. [PMID: 35063571 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic marks in gametes, which both respond to the parental environmental factors and shape offspring phenotypes, are usually positioned to mediate intergenerational or transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Nonetheless, the mechanisms through which gametic epigenetic signatures encode parental acquired phenotypes, and further initiate a cascade of molecular events to affect offspring phenotypes during early embryonic development, remain unclear. Retrotransposons are mobile DNA elements that could resist to genomic epigenetic reprogramming at specific loci and rewire the core regulatory networks of embryogenesis. Increasing evidences show that retrotransposons in the embryonic genome could interact with gametic epigenetic marks, which provides a tentative possibility that retrotransposons may serve as a relay of gametic epigenetic marks to transmit parental acquired traits. Here, we summarize the recent progress in exploring the crosstalk between gametic epigenetic marks and retrotransposons, and the regulation of gene expression and early embryonic development by retrotransposons. Accordingly, deciphering the mystery of interactions between gametic epigenetic marks and retrotransposons during early embryonic development will provide valuable insights into the intergenerational or transgenerational transmission of acquired traits.
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32
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Silver MJ, Saffari A, Kessler NJ, Chandak GR, Fall CHD, Issarapu P, Dedaniya A, Betts M, Moore SE, Routledge MN, Herceg Z, Cuenin C, Derakhshan M, James PT, Monk D, Prentice AM. Environmentally sensitive hotspots in the methylome of the early human embryo. eLife 2022; 11:e72031. [PMID: 35188105 PMCID: PMC8912923 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, DNA methylation marks inherited from gametes are largely erased following fertilisation, prior to construction of the embryonic methylome. Exploiting a natural experiment of seasonal variation including changes in diet and nutritional status in rural Gambia, we analysed three datasets covering two independent child cohorts and identified 259 CpGs showing consistent associations between season of conception (SoC) and DNA methylation. SoC effects were most apparent in early infancy, with evidence of attenuation by mid-childhood. SoC-associated CpGs were enriched for metastable epialleles, parent-of-origin-specific methylation and germline differentially methylated regions, supporting a periconceptional environmental influence. Many SoC-associated CpGs overlapped enhancers or sites of active transcription in H1 embryonic stem cells and fetal tissues. Half were influenced but not determined by measured genetic variants that were independent of SoC. Environmental 'hotspots' providing a record of environmental influence at periconception constitute a valuable resource for investigating epigenetic mechanisms linking early exposures to lifelong health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt J Silver
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
| | - Ayden Saffari
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
| | - Noah J Kessler
- Department of Genetics, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Gririraj R Chandak
- Genomic Research on Complex Diseases, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular BiologyHyderabadIndia
| | - Caroline HD Fall
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthamptonUnited Kingdom
| | - Prachand Issarapu
- Genomic Research on Complex Diseases, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular BiologyHyderabadIndia
| | - Akshay Dedaniya
- Genomic Research on Complex Diseases, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular BiologyHyderabadIndia
| | - Modupeh Betts
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
| | - Sophie E Moore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
- Department of Women and Children's Health, King's College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael N Routledge
- School of Medicine, University of LeedsLeedsUnited Kingdom
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversityZhenjiangChina
| | - Zdenko Herceg
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency For Research On CancerLyonFrance
| | - Cyrille Cuenin
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency For Research On CancerLyonFrance
| | - Maria Derakhshan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
| | - Philip T James
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
| | - David Monk
- Biomedical Research Centre, University of East AngliaNorwichUnited Kingdom
- Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical ResearchBarcelonaSpain
| | - Andrew M Prentice
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineGambiaUnited Kingdom
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Huang J, Ru G, Sun J, Sun L, Li Z. Elevated RIF1 participates in the epigenetic abnormalities of zygotes by regulating histone modifications on MuERV-L in obese mice. Mol Med 2022; 28:17. [PMID: 35123389 PMCID: PMC8818203 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00446-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal obesity impairs embryonic developmental potential and significantly increases the risks of metabolic disorders in offspring. However, the epigenetic transmission mechanism of maternal metabolic abnormalities is still poorly understood. METHODS We established an obesity model in female mice by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. The effects of the HFD on the developmental potential of oocytes and embryos, the metabolic phenotype, and epigenetic modifications were investigated. The efficacy of metformin administration was assessed. Finally, the regulatory pathway of epigenetic remodeling during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) was explored. RESULTS Maternal HFD consumption significantly impaired glucose tolerance and increased the risk of metabolic disorders in F0 and F1 mice. Maternal HFD consumption also decreased embryonic developmental potential, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and γH2AX levels, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) within oocytes, causing high levels of oxidative stress damage and DNA damage. Starting with this clue, we observed significantly increased RIF1 levels and shortened telomeres in obese mice. Moreover, significant abnormal DNA methylation and histone modification remodeling were observed during ZGA in obese mice, which may be coregulated by RIF1 and the ZGA marker gene MuERV-L. Metformin treatment reduced RIF1 levels, and partially improved ZGA activation status by rescuing epigenetic modification remodeling in oocytes and preimplantation embryos of obese mice. RIF1 knockdown experiments employing Trim-Away methods showed that RIF1 degradation altered the H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 enrichment and then triggered the MuERV-L transcriptional activation. Moreover, ChIP-seq data analysis of RIF1 knockouts also showed that RIF1 mediates the transcriptional regulation of MuERV-L by changing the enrichment of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 rather than by altered DNA methylation. CONCLUSION Elevated RIF1 in oocytes caused by maternal obesity may mediate abnormal embryonic epigenetic remodeling and increase metabolic risk in offspring by regulating histone modifications on MuERV-L, which can be partially rescued by metformin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiliang Huang
- Department of Reproductive Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, People's Republic of China
| | - Gaizhen Ru
- Department of Reproductive Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajia Sun
- Department of Reproductive Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, People's Republic of China
| | - Luying Sun
- Department of Reproductive Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiling Li
- Department of Reproductive Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, People's Republic of China
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Wu D, Khan FA, Huo L, Sun F, Huang C. Alternative splicing and MicroRNA: epigenetic mystique in male reproduction. RNA Biol 2022; 19:162-175. [PMID: 35067179 PMCID: PMC8786336 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.2024033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Infertility is rarely life threatening, however, it poses a serious global health issue posing far-reaching socio-economic impacts affecting 12–15% of couples worldwide where male factor accounts for 70%. Functional spermatogenesis which is the result of several concerted coordinated events to produce sperms is at the core of male fertility, Alternative splicing and microRNA (miRNA) mediated RNA silencing (RNAi) constitute two conserved post-transcriptional gene (re)programming machinery across species. The former by diversifying transcriptome signature and the latter by repressing target mRNA activity orchestrate a spectrum of testicular events, and their dysfunctions has several implications in male infertility. This review recapitulates the knowledge of these mechanistic events in regulation of spermatogenesis and testicular homoeostasis. In addition, miRNA payload in sperm, vulnerable to paternal inputs, including unhealthy diet, infection and trauma, creates epigenetic memory to initiate intergenerational phenotype. Naive zygote injection of sperm miRNAs from stressed father recapitulates phenotypes of offspring of stressed father. The epigenetic inheritance of paternal pathologies through miRNA could be a tantalizing avenue to better appreciate ‘Paternal Origins of Health and Disease’ and the power of tiny sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Faheem Ahmed Khan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Lijun Huo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Sun
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chunjie Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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35
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Mori M, Liu C, Yoshizawa T, Miyahara H, Dai J, Igarashi Y, Cui X, Li Y, Kang X, Higuchi K. Polygenic control of the wavy coat of the NCT mouse: involvement of an intracisternal A particle insertional mutation of the protease, serine 53 (Prss53) gene, and a modifier gene. Mamm Genome 2022; 33:451-464. [PMID: 35067752 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-021-09926-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Nakano cataract mouse (NCT) manifests a wavy coat for their first hair as a genetic trait. In this study, we explored the molecular genetic basis of the wavy coat. We revealed by crossing experiments that the wavy coat is controlled by a major gene on chromosome 7 of NCT, homozygosity of which is a prerequisite for developing the wavy coat, and by a gene on chromosome 9 with a minor effect to reinforce the manifestation of the trait. In humans, a polymorphism of the protease, serine 53 (PRSS53) gene on the homologous chromosome is known to be associated with curly scalp hair. We then investigated the Prss53 gene and discovered that NCT has an insertion of an intracisternal A particle element in the first intron of the gene. Nevertheless, the expression of the Prss53 is not altered in the NCT skin both in transcript and protein levels. Subsequently, we created C57BL/6J-Prss53em1 knockout mice and found that these mice manifest vague wavy coats. A portion of backcross and intercross mice between the C57BL/6J-Prss53em1 and NCT manifested intense or vague wavy coats. These findings demonstrate the polygenic nature of the wavy coat of NCT and Prss53 knockout mice and highlight the similarity of the trait to the curly hair of humans associated with the PRSS53 alteration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Mori
- Department of NeuroHealth Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan. .,Department of Aging Biology, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan. .,Department of Aging Biology, Institute of Pathogenesis and Disease Prevention, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Aging Biology, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yoshizawa
- Division of Animal Research, Research Center for Supports to Advanced Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Hiroki Miyahara
- Department of NeuroHealth Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Jian Dai
- Department of NeuroHealth Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Yuichi Igarashi
- Department of Aging Biology, Institute of Pathogenesis and Disease Prevention, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Xiaoran Cui
- Department of Aging Biology, Institute of Pathogenesis and Disease Prevention, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Aging Biology, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Xiaojing Kang
- Department of Aging Biology, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Keiichi Higuchi
- Department of NeuroHealth Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.,Department of Aging Biology, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.,Department of Aging Biology, Institute of Pathogenesis and Disease Prevention, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
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36
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Wang D, Li J, Wang Y, Wang E. A comparison on predicting functional impact of genomic variants. NAR Genom Bioinform 2022; 4:lqab122. [PMID: 35047814 PMCID: PMC8759571 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqab122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) may cause the diverse functional impact on RNA or protein changing genotype and phenotype, which may lead to common or complex diseases like cancers. Accurate prediction of the functional impact of SNPs is crucial to discover the ‘influential’ (deleterious, pathogenic, disease-causing, and predisposing) variants from massive background polymorphisms in the human genome. Increasing computational methods have been developed to predict the functional impact of variants. However, predictive performances of these computational methods on massive genomic variants are still unclear. In this regard, we systematically evaluated 14 important computational methods including specific methods for one type of variant and general methods for multiple types of variants from several aspects; none of these methods achieved excellent (AUC ≥ 0.9) performance in both data sets. CADD and REVEL achieved excellent performance on multiple types of variants and missense variants, respectively. This comparison aims to assist researchers and clinicians to select appropriate methods or develop better predictive methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001,China
| | - Jie Li
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 0451 86413309;
| | - Yadong Wang
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Yadong Wang. Tel: +86 0451 86413309;
| | - Edwin Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, HSC 1185, Canada
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Yang Y, Zhang L, Xiong C, Chen J, Wang L, Wen Z, Yu J, Chen P, Xu Y, Jin J, Cai Y, Li G. HIRA complex presets transcriptional potential through coordinating depositions of the histone variants H3.3 and H2A.Z on the poised genes in mESCs. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:191-206. [PMID: 34893908 PMCID: PMC8754660 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone variants have been implicated in regulating chromatin dynamics and genome functions. Previously, we have shown that histone variant H3.3 actively marks enhancers and cooperates with H2A.Z at promoters to prime the genes into a poised state in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, how these two important histone variants collaboratively function in this process still remains elusive. In this study, we found that depletion of different components of HIRA complex, a specific chaperone of H3.3, results in significant decreases of H2A.Z enrichment at genome scale. In addition, CUT&Tag data revealed a genomic colocalization between HIRA complex and SRCAP complex. In vivo and in vitro biochemical assays verified that HIRA complex could interact with SRCAP complex through the Hira subunit. Furthermore, our chromatin accessibility and transcription analyses demonstrated that HIRA complex contributed to preset a defined chromatin feature around TSS region for poising gene transcription. In summary, our results unveiled that while regulating the H3.3 incorporation in the regulatory regions, HIRA complex also collaborates with SRCAP to deposit H2A.Z onto the promoters, which cooperatively determines the transcriptional potential of the poised genes in mESCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chaoyang Xiong
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jun Chen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zengqi Wen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Yu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Yanhui Xu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jingji Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Yong Cai
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Guohong Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that non-DNA sequence-based epigenetic information can be inherited across several generations in organisms ranging from yeast to plants to humans. This raises the possibility of heritable 'epimutations' contributing to heritable phenotypic variation and thus to evolution. Recent work has shed light on both the signals that underpin these epimutations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, and the mechanisms by which they are transmitted across generations at the molecular level. These mechanisms can vary greatly among species and have a more limited effect in mammals than in plants and other animal species. Nevertheless, common principles are emerging, with transmission occurring either via direct replicative mechanisms or indirect reconstruction of the signal in subsequent generations. As these processes become clearer we continue to improve our understanding of the distinctive features and relative contribution of DNA sequence and epigenetic variation to heritable differences in phenotype.
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39
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Network Biology and Artificial Intelligence Drive the Understanding of the Multidrug Resistance Phenotype in Cancer. Drug Resist Updat 2022; 60:100811. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2022.100811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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40
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Buttler CA, Chuong EB. Emerging roles for endogenous retroviruses in immune epigenetic regulation. Immunol Rev 2022; 305:165-178. [PMID: 34816452 PMCID: PMC8766910 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been significant progress toward understanding the transcriptional networks underlying mammalian immune responses, fueled by advances in regulatory genomic technologies. Epigenomic studies profiling immune cells have generated detailed genome-wide maps of regulatory elements that will be key to deciphering the regulatory networks underlying cellular immune responses and autoimmune disorders. Unbiased analyses of these genomic maps have uncovered endogenous retroviruses as an unexpected ally in the regulation of human immune systems. Despite their parasitic origins, studies are finding an increasing number of examples of retroviral sequences having been co-opted for beneficial immune function and regulation by the host cell. Here, we review how endogenous retroviruses have given rise to numerous regulatory elements that shape the epigenetic landscape of host immune responses. We will discuss the implications of these elements on the function, dysfunction, and evolution of innate immunity.
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Pavillon INAF, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Marc-André Sirard
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Pavillon INAF, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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42
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GRWD1-WDR5-MLL2 Epigenetic Complex Mediates H3K4me3 Mark and Is Essential for Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Induced Cellular Transformation. mBio 2021; 12:e0343121. [PMID: 34933446 PMCID: PMC8689518 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03431-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is causally associated with numerous cancers. The mechanism of KSHV-induced oncogenesis remains unclear. By performing a CRISPR-Cas9 screening in a model of KSHV-induced cellular transformation of primary cells, we identified epigenetic regulators that were essential for KSHV-induced cellular transformation. Examination of TCGA data sets of the top 9 genes, including glutamate-rich WD repeat containing 1 (GRWD1), a WD40 family protein upregulated by KSHV, that had positive effects on cell proliferation and survival of KSHV-transformed cells (KMM) but not the matched primary cells (MM), uncovered the predictive values of their expressions for patient survival in numerous types of cancer. We revealed global epigenetic remodeling including H3K4me3 epigenetic active mark in KMM cells compared to MM cells. Knockdown of GRWD1 inhibited cell proliferation, cellular transformation, and tumor formation and caused downregulation of global H3K4me3 mark in KMM cells. GRWD1 interacted with WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5), the core protein of H3K4 methyltransferase complex, and several H3K4me3 methyltransferases, including myeloid leukemia 2 (MLL2). Knockdown of WDR5 and MLL2 phenocopied GRWD1 knockdown, caused global reduction of H3K4me3 mark, and altered the expression of similar sets of genes. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses further identified common and distinct cellular genes and pathways that were regulated by GRWD1, WDR5, and MLL2. These results indicate that KSHV hijacks the GRWD1-WDR5-MLL2 epigenetic complex to regulate H3K4me3 methylation of specific genes, which is essential for KSHV-induced cellular transformation. Our work has identified an epigenetic complex as a novel therapeutic target for KSHV-induced cancers. IMPORTANCE By performing a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening, we have identified cellular epigenetic regulators that are essential for KSHV-induced cellular transformation. Among them, GRWD1 regulates epigenetic active mark H3K4me3 by interacting with WDR5 and MLL2 and recruiting them to chromatin loci of specific genes in KSHV-transformed cells. Hence, KSHV hijacks the GRWD1-WDR5-MLL2 complex to remodel cellular epigenome and induce cellular transformation. Since the dysregulation of GRWD1 is associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer, GRWD1 might also be a critical driver in other viral or nonviral cancers.
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43
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Transmission of trained immunity and heterologous resistance to infections across generations. Nat Immunol 2021; 22:1382-1390. [PMID: 34663978 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-01052-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Intergenerational inheritance of immune traits linked to epigenetic modifications has been demonstrated in plants and invertebrates. Here we provide evidence for transmission of trained immunity across generations to murine progeny that survived a sublethal systemic infection with Candida albicans or a zymosan challenge. The progeny of trained mice exhibited cellular, developmental, transcriptional and epigenetic changes associated with the bone marrow-resident myeloid effector and progenitor cell compartment. Moreover, the progeny of trained mice showed enhanced responsiveness to endotoxin challenge, alongside improved protection against systemic heterologous Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes infections. Sperm DNA of parental male mice intravenously infected with the fungus C. albicans showed DNA methylation differences linked to immune gene loci. These results provide evidence for inheritance of trained immunity in mammals, enhancing protection against infections.
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44
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Costello KR, Leung A, Trac C, Lee M, Basam M, Pospisilik JA, Schones DE. Sequence features of retrotransposons allow for epigenetic variability. eLife 2021; 10:71104. [PMID: 34668484 PMCID: PMC8555987 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that make up a large fraction of mammalian genomes. While select TEs have been co-opted in host genomes to have function, the majority of these elements are epigenetically silenced by DNA methylation in somatic cells. However, some TEs in mice, including the Intracisternal A-particle (IAP) subfamily of retrotransposons, have been shown to display interindividual variation in DNA methylation. Recent work has revealed that IAP sequence differences and strain-specific KRAB zinc finger proteins (KZFPs) may influence the methylation state of these IAPs. However, the mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of interindividual variability in DNA methylation still remain unclear. Here, we report that sequence content and genomic context influence the likelihood that IAPs become variably methylated. IAPs that differ from consensus IAP sequences have altered KZFP recruitment that can lead to decreased KAP1 recruitment when in proximity of constitutively expressed genes. These variably methylated loci have a high CpG density, similar to CpG islands, and can be bound by ZF-CxxC proteins, providing a potential mechanism to maintain this permissive chromatin environment and protect from DNA methylation. These observations indicate that variably methylated IAPs escape silencing through both attenuation of KZFP binding and recognition by ZF-CxxC proteins to maintain a hypomethylated state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Costello
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States.,Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, United States
| | - Amy Leung
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States
| | - Candi Trac
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States
| | - Michael Lee
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States.,Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, United States
| | - Mudaser Basam
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States
| | | | - Dustin E Schones
- Department of Diabetes Complications and Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, United States.,Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, United States
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45
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Vernaz G, Malinsky M, Svardal H, Du M, Tyers AM, Santos ME, Durbin R, Genner MJ, Turner GF, Miska EA. Mapping epigenetic divergence in the massive radiation of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5870. [PMID: 34620871 PMCID: PMC8497601 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26166-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic variation modulates gene expression and can be heritable. However, knowledge of the contribution of epigenetic divergence to adaptive diversification in nature remains limited. The massive evolutionary radiation of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes displaying extensive phenotypic diversity despite extremely low sequence divergence is an excellent system to study the epigenomic contribution to adaptation. Here, we present a comparative genome-wide methylome and transcriptome study, focussing on liver and muscle tissues in phenotypically divergent cichlid species. In both tissues we find substantial methylome divergence among species. Differentially methylated regions (DMR), enriched in evolutionary young transposons, are associated with transcription changes of ecologically-relevant genes related to energy expenditure and lipid metabolism, pointing to a link between dietary ecology and methylome divergence. Unexpectedly, half of all species-specific DMRs are shared across tissues and are enriched in developmental genes, likely reflecting distinct epigenetic developmental programmes. Our study reveals substantial methylome divergence in closely-related cichlid fishes and represents a resource to study the role of epigenetics in species diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Vernaz
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Milan Malinsky
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hannes Svardal
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mingliu Du
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexandra M Tyers
- School of Natural Sciences, Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - M Emília Santos
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Richard Durbin
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Martin J Genner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - George F Turner
- School of Natural Sciences, Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Eric A Miska
- Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
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46
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Burton NO, Greer EL. Multigenerational epigenetic inheritance: Transmitting information across generations. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 127:121-132. [PMID: 34426067 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Inherited epigenetic information has been observed to regulate a variety of complex organismal phenotypes across diverse taxa of life. This continually expanding body of literature suggests that epigenetic inheritance plays a significant, and potentially fundamental, role in inheritance. Despite the important role these types of effects play in biology, the molecular mediators of this non-genetic transmission of information are just now beginning to be deciphered. Here we provide an intellectual framework for interpreting these findings and how they can interact with each other. We also define the different types of mechanisms that have been found to mediate epigenetic inheritance and to regulate whether epigenetic information persists for one or many generations. The field of epigenetic inheritance is entering an exciting phase, in which we are beginning to understand the mechanisms by which non-genetic information is transmitted to, and deciphered by, subsequent generations to maintain essential environmental information without permanently altering the genetic code. A more complete understanding of how and when epigenetic inheritance occurs will advance our understanding of numerous different aspects of biology ranging from how organisms cope with changing environments to human pathologies influenced by a parent's environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas O Burton
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
| | - Eric L Greer
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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47
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Bertozzi TM, Becker JL, Blake GET, Bansal A, Nguyen DK, Fernandez-Twinn DS, Ozanne SE, Bartolomei MS, Simmons RA, Watson ED, Ferguson-Smith AC. Variably methylated retrotransposons are refractory to a range of environmental perturbations. Nat Genet 2021; 53:1233-1242. [PMID: 34326545 PMCID: PMC7611517 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The agouti viable yellow (Avy) allele is an insertional mutation in the mouse genome caused by a variably methylated intracisternal A particle (VM-IAP) retrotransposon. Avy expressivity is sensitive to a range of early-life chemical exposures and nutritional interventions, suggesting that environmental perturbations can have long-lasting effects on the methylome. However, the extent to which VM-IAP elements are environmentally labile with phenotypic implications is unknown. Using a recently identified repertoire of VM-IAPs, we assessed the epigenetic effects of different environmental contexts. A longitudinal aging analysis indicated that VM-IAPs are stable across the murine lifespan, with only small increases in DNA methylation detected for a subset of loci. No significant effects were observed after maternal exposure to the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A, an obesogenic diet or methyl donor supplementation. A genetic mouse model of abnormal folate metabolism exhibited shifted VM-IAP methylation levels and altered VM-IAP-associated gene expression, yet these effects are likely largely driven by differential targeting by polymorphic KRAB zinc finger proteins. We conclude that epigenetic variability at retrotransposons is not predictive of environmental susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Georgina E T Blake
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Amita Bansal
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Australian National University Medical School, John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Duy K Nguyen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Denise S Fernandez-Twinn
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and Medical Research Council Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, UK
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and Medical Research Council Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marisa S Bartolomei
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca A Simmons
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erica D Watson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anne C Ferguson-Smith
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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48
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Wang L, Han J, Lu K, Li M, Gao M, Cao Z, Zhao T, Chen X, Tao X, Chen Q, Guan X. Functional examination of lncRNAs in allotetraploid Gossypium hirsutum. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:443. [PMID: 34120591 PMCID: PMC8201905 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07771-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An evolutionary model using diploid and allotetraploid cotton species identified 80 % of non-coding transcripts in allotetraploid cotton as being uniquely activated in comparison with its diploid ancestors. The function of the lncRNAs activated in allotetraploid cotton remain largely unknown. RESULTS We employed transcriptome analysis to examine the relationship between the lncRNAs and mRNAs of protein coding genes (PCGs) in cotton leaf tissue under abiotic stresses. LncRNA expression was preferentially associated with that of the flanking PCGs. Selected highly-expressed lncRNA candidates (n = 111) were subjected to a functional screening pilot test in which virus-induced gene silencing was integrated with abiotic stress treatment. From this low-throughput screen, we obtained candidate lncRNAs relating to plant height and tolerance to drought and other abiotic stresses. CONCLUSIONS Low-throughput screen is an effective method to find functional lncRNA for further study. LncRNAs were more active in abiotic stresses than PCG expression, especially temperature stress. LncRNA XLOC107738 may take a cis-regulatory role in response to environmental stimuli. The degree to which lncRNAs are constitutively expressed may impact expression patterns and functions on the individual gene level rather than in genome-wide aggregate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin Han
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kening Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Menglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mengtao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zeyi Cao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Tao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Quanjia Chen
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China.
| | - Xueying Guan
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Building 11, Yonyou Industrial Park, Yazhou District, Hainan Province, 572025, Sanya, China.
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49
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Zhao T, Mei H, Cao Z, Wang L, Tao X, Feng S, Fang L, Guan X. Absence of CG methylation alters the long noncoding transcriptome landscape in multiple species. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:1734-1747. [PMID: 33950520 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The noncoding regions throughout the genome are in large part comprised of transposable elements (TEs), some of which are functionalized with long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). DNA methylation is predominantly associated with TEs, but little is known about its contribution to the transcription of lincRNAs. Here, we examine the lincRNA profiles of DNA methylation-related mutants of five species, Arabidopsis, rice, tomato, maize, and mouse, to elucidate patterns in lincRNA regulation under altered DNA methylation status. Significant activation of lincRNAs was observed in the absence of CG DNA methylation rather than non-CG. Our study establishes a working model of the contribution of DNA methylation to regulation of the dynamic activity of lincRNA transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huan Mei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zeyi Cao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Agriculture, Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Cotton Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Tao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shouli Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueying Guan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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50
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Epigenomically Bistable Regions across Neuron-Specific Genes Govern Neuron Eligibility to a Coding Ensemble in the Hippocampus. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107789. [PMID: 32579919 PMCID: PMC7440841 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory inputs activate sparse neuronal ensembles in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, but how eligibility of individual neurons to recruitment is determined remains elusive. We identify thousands of largely bistable (CpG methylated or unmethylated) regions within neuronal gene bodies, established during mouse dentate gyrus development. Reducing DNA methylation and the proportion of the methylated epialleles at bistable regions compromises novel context-induced neuronal activation. Conversely, increasing methylation and the frequency of the methylated epialleles at bistable regions enhances intrinsic excitability. Single-nucleus profiling reveals enrichment of specific epialleles related to a subset of primarily exonic, bistable regions in activated neurons. Genes displaying both differential methylation and expression in activated neurons define a network of proteins regulating neuronal excitability and structural plasticity. We propose a model in which bistable regions create neuron heterogeneity and constellations of exonic methylation, which may contribute to cell-specific gene expression, excitability, and eligibility to a coding ensemble. Odell et al. show regions within neuronal genes with bistable DNA methylation states that are associated with gene expression, excitability, and activation in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. These data suggest that the methylation state of bistable regions dictates, via modulating gene expression, neuron eligibility to a coding ensemble.
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