1
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Örkenby L, Skog S, Ekman H, Gozzo A, Kugelberg U, Ramesh R, Magadi S, Zambanini G, Nordin A, Cantú C, Nätt D, Öst A. Stress-sensitive dynamics of miRNAs and Elba1 in Drosophila embryogenesis. Mol Syst Biol 2023; 19:e11148. [PMID: 36938679 PMCID: PMC10167479 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211148] [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: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress can result in life-long effects that impact adult health and disease risk, but little is known about how such programming is established and maintained. Here, we show that such epigenetic memories can be initiated in the Drosophila embryo before the major wave of zygotic transcription, and higher-order chromatin structures are established. An early short heat shock results in elevated levels of maternal miRNA and reduced levels of a subgroup of zygotic genes in stage 5 embryos. Using a Dicer-1 mutant, we show that the stress-induced decrease in one of these genes, the insulator-binding factor Elba1, is dependent on functional miRNA biogenesis. Reduction in Elba1 correlates with the upregulation of early developmental genes and promotes a sustained weakening of heterochromatin in the adult fly as indicated by an increased expression of the PEV wm4h reporter. We propose that maternal miRNAs, retained in response to an early embryonic heat shock, shape the subsequent de novo heterochromatin establishment that occurs during early development via direct or indirect regulation of some of the earliest expressed genes, including Elba1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovisa Örkenby
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Signe Skog
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helen Ekman
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Gozzo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Unn Kugelberg
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rashmi Ramesh
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Srivathsa Magadi
- Division of Neurobiology (NEURO), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gianluca Zambanini
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Nordin
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Claudio Cantú
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology (MMV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Nätt
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anita Öst
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Wang HD, Allard P. Challenging dogmas: How transgenerational epigenetics reshapes our views on life. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:70-74. [PMID: 33900057 PMCID: PMC8546026 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of the field of transgenerational epigenetics inheritance (TEI) has profoundly reshaped our understanding of the relationships between environment, soma, and germ cells as well as of heredity. TEI refers to the changes in chromatin state, gene expression, and/or phenotypes that are transmitted across several generations without involving changes to the DNA sequences. TEI has direct connections with, and feeds from, the fields of molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, and reproductive biology, among others. However, the expansion of TEI-related research, has profoundly reshaped boundaries within each field and often led to the erosion of theories and concepts considered as tenets of biology. We first explore how the molecularization of biology has shifted the definition of epigenetics to include the notion of heredity and how epigenetics has refined our understanding of the central dogma of biology. The demonstrated transfer of environmental information from soma to germ cell through extracellular vesicles and subsequent alteration of health outcomes in offspring has put a definite end to the long-held principle of the Weismann barrier. TEI has also simultaneously led to the revival of the inheritance of acquired characteristics while further eroding the concept of an epigenetic "blank slate" in mammals. Using an historical framework, and via the exploration of central studies in the field, in this perspective article, we will draw a compelling argument for the revolutionary aspect of TEI in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison D. Wang
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. USA
| | - Patrick Allard
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles, California. USA
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3
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Onishi R, Yamanaka S, Siomi MC. piRNA- and siRNA-mediated transcriptional repression in Drosophila, mice, and yeast: new insights and biodiversity. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e53062. [PMID: 34347367 PMCID: PMC8490990 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The PIWI‐interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway acts as a self‐defense mechanism against transposons to maintain germline genome integrity. Failures in the piRNA pathway cause DNA damage in the germline genome, disturbing inheritance of “correct” genetic information by the next generations and leading to infertility. piRNAs execute transposon repression in two ways: degrading their RNA transcripts and compacting the genomic loci via heterochromatinization. The former event is mechanistically similar to siRNA‐mediated RNA cleavage that occurs in the cytoplasm and has been investigated in many species including nematodes, fruit flies, and mammals. The latter event seems to be mechanistically parallel to siRNA‐centered kinetochore assembly and subsequent chromosome segregation, which has so far been studied particularly in fission yeast. Despite the interspecies conservations, the overall schemes of the nuclear events show clear biodiversity across species. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding piRNA‐mediated transcriptional silencing in Drosophila and discuss the biodiversity by comparing it with the equivalent piRNA‐mediated system in mice and the siRNA‐mediated system in fission yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Onishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichiro Yamanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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4
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Schnabl J, Wang J, Hohmann U, Gehre M, Batki J, Andreev VI, Purkhauser K, Fasching N, Duchek P, Novatchkova M, Mechtler K, Plaschka C, Patel DJ, Brennecke J. Molecular principles of Piwi-mediated cotranscriptional silencing through the dimeric SFiNX complex. Genes Dev 2021; 35:392-409. [PMID: 33574069 PMCID: PMC7919418 DOI: 10.1101/gad.347989.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear Argonaute proteins, guided by their bound small RNAs to nascent target transcripts, mediate cotranscriptional silencing of transposons and repetitive genomic loci through heterochromatin formation. The molecular mechanisms involved in this process are incompletely understood. Here, we show that the SFiNX complex, a silencing mediator downstream from nuclear Piwi-piRNA complexes in Drosophila, facilitates cotranscriptional silencing as a homodimer. The dynein light chain protein Cut up/LC8 mediates SFiNX dimerization, and its function can be bypassed by a heterologous dimerization domain, arguing for a constitutive SFiNX dimer. Dimeric, but not monomeric SFiNX, is capable of forming molecular condensates in a nucleic acid-stimulated manner. Mutations that prevent SFiNX dimerization result in loss of condensate formation in vitro and the inability of Piwi to initiate heterochromatin formation and silence transposons in vivo. We propose that multivalent SFiNX-nucleic acid interactions are critical for heterochromatin establishment at piRNA target loci in a cotranscriptional manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Schnabl
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School at the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Juncheng Wang
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Ulrich Hohmann
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maja Gehre
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Batki
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Veselin I Andreev
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School at the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kim Purkhauser
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nina Fasching
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Duchek
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Novatchkova
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Mechtler
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Plaschka
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dinshaw J Patel
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Julius Brennecke
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Douse CH, Tchasovnikarova IA, Timms RT, Protasio AV, Seczynska M, Prigozhin DM, Albecka A, Wagstaff J, Williamson JC, Freund SMV, Lehner PJ, Modis Y. TASOR is a pseudo-PARP that directs HUSH complex assembly and epigenetic transposon control. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4940. [PMID: 33009411 PMCID: PMC7532188 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18761-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The HUSH complex represses retroviruses, transposons and genes to maintain the integrity of vertebrate genomes. HUSH regulates deposition of the epigenetic mark H3K9me3, but how its three core subunits - TASOR, MPP8 and Periphilin - contribute to assembly and targeting of the complex remains unknown. Here, we define the biochemical basis of HUSH assembly and find that its modular architecture resembles the yeast RNA-induced transcriptional silencing complex. TASOR, the central HUSH subunit, associates with RNA processing components. TASOR is required for H3K9me3 deposition over LINE-1 repeats and repetitive exons in transcribed genes. In the context of previous studies, this suggests that an RNA intermediate is important for HUSH activity. We dissect the TASOR and MPP8 domains necessary for transgene repression. Structure-function analyses reveal TASOR bears a catalytically-inactive PARP domain necessary for targeted H3K9me3 deposition. We conclude that TASOR is a multifunctional pseudo-PARP that directs HUSH assembly and epigenetic regulation of repetitive genomic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H Douse
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Iva A Tchasovnikarova
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
- The Gurdon Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Richard T Timms
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Anna V Protasio
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marta Seczynska
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Daniil M Prigozhin
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Anna Albecka
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jane Wagstaff
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - James C Williamson
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Stefan M V Freund
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Paul J Lehner
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
| | - Yorgo Modis
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK.
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
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6
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Greenstein RA, Barrales RR, Sanchez NA, Bisanz JE, Braun S, Al-Sady B. Set1/COMPASS repels heterochromatin invasion at euchromatic sites by disrupting Suv39/Clr4 activity and nucleosome stability. Genes Dev 2020; 34:99-117. [PMID: 31805521 PMCID: PMC6938669 DOI: 10.1101/gad.328468.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Protection of euchromatin from invasion by gene-repressive heterochromatin is critical for cellular health and viability. In addition to constitutive loci such as pericentromeres and subtelomeres, heterochromatin can be found interspersed in gene-rich euchromatin, where it regulates gene expression pertinent to cell fate. While heterochromatin and euchromatin are globally poised for mutual antagonism, the mechanisms underlying precise spatial encoding of heterochromatin containment within euchromatic sites remain opaque. We investigated ectopic heterochromatin invasion by manipulating the fission yeast mating type locus boundary using a single-cell spreading reporter system. We found that heterochromatin repulsion is locally encoded by Set1/COMPASS on certain actively transcribed genes and that this protective role is most prominent at heterochromatin islands, small domains interspersed in euchromatin that regulate cell fate specifiers. Sensitivity to invasion by heterochromatin, surprisingly, is not dependent on Set1 altering overall gene expression levels. Rather, the gene-protective effect is strictly dependent on Set1's catalytic activity. H3K4 methylation, the Set1 product, antagonizes spreading in two ways: directly inhibiting catalysis by Suv39/Clr4 and locally disrupting nucleosome stability. Taken together, these results describe a mechanism for spatial encoding of euchromatic signals that repel heterochromatin invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Greenstein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
- TETRAD Graduate Program, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Ramon R Barrales
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Biomedical Center (BMC), Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nicholas A Sanchez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
- TETRAD Graduate Program, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Jordan E Bisanz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Sigurd Braun
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Biomedical Center (BMC), Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Bassem Al-Sady
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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7
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Bhattacharjee S, Roche B, Martienssen RA. RNA-induced initiation of transcriptional silencing (RITS) complex structure and function. RNA Biol 2019; 16:1133-1146. [PMID: 31213126 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1621624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatic regions of the genome are epigenetically regulated to maintain a heritable '"silent state"'. In fission yeast and other organisms, epigenetic silencing is guided by nascent transcripts, which are targeted by the RNA interference pathway. The key effector complex of the RNA interference pathway consists of small interfering RNA molecules (siRNAs) associated with Argonaute, assembled into the RNA-induced transcriptional silencing (RITS) complex. This review focuses on our current understanding of how RITS promotes heterochromatin formation, and in particular on the role of Argonaute-containing complexes in many other functions such as quelling, release of RNA polymerases, cellular quiescence and genome defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Bhattacharjee
- a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Cold Spring Harbor , NY , USA
| | - Benjamin Roche
- a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Cold Spring Harbor , NY , USA
| | - Robert A Martienssen
- a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute , Cold Spring Harbor , NY , USA
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8
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Greenstein RA, Jones SK, Spivey EC, Rybarski JR, Finkelstein IJ, Al-Sady B. Noncoding RNA-nucleated heterochromatin spreading is intrinsically labile and requires accessory elements for epigenetic stability. eLife 2018; 7:32948. [PMID: 30020075 PMCID: PMC6070336 DOI: 10.7554/elife.32948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterochromatin spreading reaction is a central contributor to the formation of gene-repressive structures, which are re-established with high positional precision, or fidelity, following replication. How the spreading reaction contributes to this fidelity is not clear. To resolve the origins of stable inheritance of repression, we probed the intrinsic character of spreading events in fission yeast using a system that quantitatively describes the spreading reaction in live single cells. We show that spreading triggered by noncoding RNA-nucleated elements is stochastic, multimodal, and fluctuates dynamically across time. This lack of stability correlates with high histone turnover. At the mating type locus, this unstable behavior is restrained by an accessory cis-acting element REIII, which represses histone turnover. Further, REIII safeguards epigenetic memory against environmental perturbations. Our results suggest that the most prevalent type of spreading, driven by noncoding RNA-nucleators, is epigenetically unstable and requires collaboration with accessory elements to achieve high fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Greenstein
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,TETRAD graduate program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Stephen K Jones
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Eric C Spivey
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - James R Rybarski
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Ilya J Finkelstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States.,Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Bassem Al-Sady
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, George Williams Hooper Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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9
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Nucleation and spreading of a heterochromatic domain in fission yeast. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11518. [PMID: 27167753 PMCID: PMC4865850 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Outstanding questions in the chromatin field bear on how large heterochromatin domains are formed in space and time. Positive feedback, where histone-modifying enzymes are attracted to chromosomal regions displaying the modification they catalyse, is believed to drive the formation of these domains; however, few quantitative studies are available to assess this hypothesis. Here we quantified the de novo establishment of a naturally occurring ∼20-kb heterochromatin domain in fission yeast through single-cell analyses, measuring the kinetics of heterochromatin nucleation in a region targeted by RNAi and its subsequent expansion. We found that nucleation of heterochromatin is stochastic and can take from one to ten cell generations. Further silencing of the full region takes another one to ten generations. Quantitative modelling of the observed kinetics emphasizes the importance of local feedback, where a nucleosome-bound enzyme modifies adjacent nucleosomes, combined with a feedback where recruited enzymes can act at a distance. Chromosomes contain large heterochromatin domains. Here, the authors measure the kinetics of heterochromatin formation in fission yeast and show both global and local feedbacks by nucleosome-bound enzymes are important for formation and stability of the large heterochromatin domains.
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10
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Tucker JF, Ohle C, Schermann G, Bendrin K, Zhang W, Fischer T, Zhang K. A Novel Epigenetic Silencing Pathway Involving the Highly Conserved 5'-3' Exoribonuclease Dhp1/Rat1/Xrn2 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1005873. [PMID: 26889830 PMCID: PMC4758730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic gene silencing plays a critical role in regulating gene expression and contributes to organismal development and cell fate acquisition in eukaryotes. In fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, heterochromatin-associated gene silencing is known to be mediated by RNA processing pathways including RNA interference (RNAi) and a 3’-5’ exoribonuclease complex, the exosome. Here, we report a new RNA-processing pathway that contributes to epigenetic gene silencing and assembly of heterochromatin mediated by 5’-3’ exoribonuclease Dhp1/Rat1/Xrn2. Dhp1 mutation causes defective gene silencing both at peri-centromeric regions and at the silent mating type locus. Intriguingly, mutation in either of the two well-characterized Dhp1-interacting proteins, the Din1 pyrophosphohydrolase or the Rhn1 transcription termination factor, does not result in silencing defects at the main heterochromatic regions. We demonstrate that Dhp1 interacts with heterochromatic factors and is essential in the sequential steps of establishing silencing in a manner independent of both RNAi and the exosome. Genomic and genetic analyses suggest that Dhp1 is involved in post-transcriptional silencing of repetitive regions through its RNA processing activity. The results describe the unexpected role of Dhp1/Rat1/Xrn2 in chromatin-based silencing and elucidate how various RNA-processing pathways, acting together or independently, contribute to epigenetic regulation of the eukaryotic genome. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate when, where, and how an organism uses the genetic information stored in its genome. They are essential to many cellular processes, such as the regulation of gene expression, genome organization, and cell-fate determination. They also govern growth, development, and ultimately human health. Heterochromatin constitutes silenced chromatic domains, in which gene silencing occurs through epigenetic mechanisms. RNA processing pathways, such as RNA interference (RNAi) and the exosome, are known to mediate the silencing of genes via degradation of unwanted or aberrant transcripts. In this study, we describe a new RNA processing mechanism in epigenetic silencing using fission yeast, a premier model for studying these processes. With genetic, cell biology, and genomic approaches, we uncovered a previously unrecognized function of Dhp1, a highly conserved 5’-3’ exoribonuclease and ortholog of budding yeast Rat1 and metazoan Xrn2. We show that Dhp1 mediates a novel RNA processing mechanism in epigenetic silencing which occurs independently of both RNAi and the exosome. Our results clarify how multiple RNA processing pathways are involved in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression and chromatin organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Franklin Tucker
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Corina Ohle
- Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Géza Schermann
- Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Bendrin
- Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Tamás Fischer
- Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Stunnenberg R, Kulasegaran-Shylini R, Keller C, Kirschmann MA, Gelman L, Bühler M. H3K9 methylation extends across natural boundaries of heterochromatin in the absence of an HP1 protein. EMBO J 2015; 34:2789-803. [PMID: 26438724 PMCID: PMC4682641 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201591320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins of the conserved HP1 family are elementary components of heterochromatin and are generally assumed to play a central role in the creation of a rigid, densely packed heterochromatic network that is inaccessible to the transcription machinery. Here, we demonstrate that the fission yeast HP1 protein Swi6 exists as a single highly dynamic population that rapidly exchanges in cis and in trans between different heterochromatic regions. Binding to methylated H3K9 or to heterochromatic RNA decelerates Swi6 mobility. We further show that Swi6 is largely dispensable to the maintenance of heterochromatin domains. In the absence of Swi6, H3K9 methylation levels are maintained by a mechanism that depends on polymeric self‐association properties of Tas3, a subunit of the RNA‐induced transcriptional silencing complex. Our results disclose a surprising role for Swi6 dimerization in demarcating constitutive heterochromatin from neighboring euchromatin. Thus, rather than promoting maintenance and spreading of heterochromatin, Swi6 appears to limit these processes and appropriately confine heterochromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieka Stunnenberg
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Claudia Keller
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Laurent Gelman
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Bühler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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12
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Joh RI, Palmieri CM, Hill IT, Motamedi M. Regulation of histone methylation by noncoding RNAs. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1839:1385-94. [PMID: 24954181 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cells can adapt to their environment and develop distinct identities by rewiring their transcriptional networks to regulate the output of key biological pathways without concomitant mutations to the underlying genes. These alterations, called epigenetic changes, persist stably through mitotic or, in some instances, meiotic cell divisions. In eukaryotes, heritable changes to chromatin structure are a prominent, but not exclusive, mechanism by which epigenetic changes are mediated. These changes are initiated by sequence-specific events, which trigger a cascade of molecular interactions resulting in feedback mechanisms, alterations in chromatin structure, histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs), and ultimately establishment of distinct transcriptional states. In recent years, advances in next generation sequencing have led to the discovery of several novel classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In addition to their well-established cytoplasmic roles in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, ncRNAs have emerged as key regulators of epigenetic changes via chromatin-dependent mechanisms in organisms ranging from yeast to man. They function by affecting chromatin structure, histone PTMs, and the recruitment of transcriptional activating or repressing complexes. Among histone PTMs, lysine methylation serves as the binding substrate for the recruitment of key protein complexes involved in the regulation of genome architecture, stability, and gene expression. In this review, we will outline the known mechanisms by which ncRNAs of different origins regulate histone methylation, and in doing so contribute to a variety of genome regulatory functions in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard I Joh
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School,149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Christina M Palmieri
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School,149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Ian T Hill
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School,149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mo Motamedi
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School,149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
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13
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DNA replication components as regulators of epigenetic inheritance--lesson from fission yeast centromere. Protein Cell 2014; 5:411-9. [PMID: 24691906 PMCID: PMC4026425 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-014-0049-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic information stored in DNA is accurately copied and transferred to subsequent generations through DNA replication. This process is accomplished through the concerted actions of highly conserved DNA replication components. Epigenetic information stored in the form of histone modifications and DNA methylation, constitutes a second layer of regulatory information important for many cellular processes, such as gene expression regulation, chromatin organization, and genome stability. During DNA replication, epigenetic information must also be faithfully transmitted to subsequent generations. How this monumental task is achieved remains poorly understood. In this review, we will discuss recent advances on the role of DNA replication components in the inheritance of epigenetic marks, with a particular focus on epigenetic regulation in fission yeast. Based on these findings, we propose that specific DNA replication components function as key regulators in the replication of epigenetic information across the genome.
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14
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Mediator directs co-transcriptional heterochromatin assembly by RNA interference-dependent and -independent pathways. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003677. [PMID: 23966866 PMCID: PMC3744440 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin at the pericentromeric repeats in fission yeast is assembled and spread by an RNAi-dependent mechanism, which is coupled with the transcription of non-coding RNA from the repeats by RNA polymerase II. In addition, Rrp6, a component of the nuclear exosome, also contributes to heterochromatin assembly and is coupled with non-coding RNA transcription. The multi-subunit complex Mediator, which directs initiation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription, has recently been suggested to function after initiation in processes such as elongation of transcription and splicing. However, the role of Mediator in the regulation of chromatin structure is not well understood. We investigated the role of Mediator in pericentromeric heterochromatin formation and found that deletion of specific subunits of the head domain of Mediator compromised heterochromatin structure. The Mediator head domain was required for Rrp6-dependent heterochromatin nucleation at the pericentromere and for RNAi-dependent spreading of heterochromatin into the neighboring region. In the latter process, Mediator appeared to contribute to efficient processing of siRNA from transcribed non-coding RNA, which was required for efficient spreading of heterochromatin. Furthermore, the head domain directed efficient transcription in heterochromatin. These results reveal a pivotal role for Mediator in multiple steps of transcription-coupled formation of pericentromeric heterochromatin. This observation further extends the role of Mediator to co-transcriptional chromatin regulation.
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15
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Abstract
Rapid progress in our understanding of chromatin regulation has fueled considerable interest in epigenetic mechanisms governing the stable inheritance of chromatin states. Findings from several systems reveal small RNAs of the RNAi pathway as critical determinants of epigenetic gene silencing. Notably, recent investigations into the mechanisms of RNAi-mediated heterochromatin assembly in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe have yielded new insights regarding the roles of RNAi in chromatin regulation and epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh P Cam
- Boston College, Biology Department, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
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16
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The Chp1-Tas3 core is a multifunctional platform critical for gene silencing by RITS. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2011; 18:1351-7. [PMID: 22081013 PMCID: PMC3230742 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is critical for the assembly of heterochromatin at fission yeast centromeres. Central to this process is the RNA-induced Initiation of Transcriptional gene Silencing (RITS) complex, which physically anchors small non-coding RNAs to chromatin. RITS includes Ago1, the chromodomain protein Chp1, and Tas3, which bridges between Chp1 and Ago1. Chp1 is a large protein with, apart from its chromodomain, no recognizable domains. Here we describe how the structured C-terminal half of Chp1 binds the Tas3 N-terminal domain, revealing Chp1's tight embrace of Tas3. The structure also reveals a PIN domain at the C-terminal tip of Chp1 that controls subtelomeric transcripts through a post-transcriptional mechanism. We suggest that the Chp1-Tas3 complex provides a solid and versatile platform to recruit both RNAi-dependent and RNAi-independent gene-silencing pathways for locus-specific regulation of heterochromatin.
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17
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Zhang X, Rossi JJ. Phylogenetic comparison of small RNA-triggered transcriptional gene silencing. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:29443-8. [PMID: 21730056 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r111.276378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of RNA interference has revealed complex roles for small RNAs in regulating gene expression and cellular physiology. Small RNAs have been demonstrated to be involved in post-transcriptional suppression of translation, targeted degradation of messenger RNAs, and transcriptional suppression via epigenetic modifications of histones and DNA. In fission yeast, RNAi mediates suppression of centromeric transcripts, whereas in plants, transcriptional gene silencing appears to be primarily an antiviral mechanism. In mammals, the well annotated functional role of RNAi is primarily post-transcriptional, but there is increasing evidence that this mechanism can also work to suppress or modulate gene transcription, although it is not clear what primary function this serves. We overview, compare, and contrast the transcriptional silencing pathways in yeast, plants, and mammals in this article. This minireview is intended to provide the reader with a framework of how the RNAi machinery appears to be universally involved in various aspects of transcriptional regulation with discussions of similarities and differences in the components and mechanisms of achieving transcriptional silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizhe Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope and the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, California 91010, USA
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18
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Creamer KM, Partridge JF. RITS-connecting transcription, RNA interference, and heterochromatin assembly in fission yeast. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2011; 2:632-46. [PMID: 21823226 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, a bevy of evidence has been unearthed indicating that 'silent' heterochromatin is not as transcriptionally inert as once thought. In the unicellular yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the processing of transcripts derived from centromeric repeats into homologous short interfering RNA (siRNA) is essential for the formation of centromeric heterochromatin. Deletion of genes required for siRNA biogenesis showed that core components of the canonical RNA interference (RNAi) pathway are essential for centromeric heterochromatin assembly as well as for centromere function. Subsequent purification of the RNA-induced initiation of transcriptional gene silencing (RITS) complex provided the critical link between siRNAs and heterochromatin assembly, with RITS acting as a physical bridge between noncoding RNA scaffolds and chromatin. Here, we review current understanding of how RITS promotes heterochromatin formation and how it participates in transcription-coupled silencing. WIREs RNA 2011 2 632-646 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.80 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Creamer
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA
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19
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Li PC, Chretien L, Côté J, Kelly TJ, Forsburg SL. S. pombe replication protein Cdc18 (Cdc6) interacts with Swi6 (HP1) heterochromatin protein: region specific effects and replication timing in the centromere. Cell Cycle 2011; 10:323-36. [PMID: 21239883 DOI: 10.4161/cc.10.2.14552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin in S. pombe is associated with gene silencing at telomeres, the mating locus and centromeres. The compact heterochromatin structure raises the question how it unpacks and reforms during DNA replication. We show that the essential DNA replication factor Cdc18 (CDC6) associates with heterochromatin protein 1 (Swi6) in vivo and in vitro. Biochemical mapping and mutational analysis of the association domains show that the N-terminus of Cdc18 interacts with the chromoshadow domain of Swi6. Mutations in Swi6 that disrupt this interaction disrupt silencing and delay replication in the centromere. A mutation cdc18-I43A that reduces Cdc18 association with Swi6 has no silencing defect at the centromere, but changes Swi6 distribution and accelerates the timing of centromere replication. We suggest that fine tuning of Swi6 association at replication origins is important for negative as well as positive control of replication initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pao-Chen Li
- Program in Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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van Wolfswinkel JC, Ketting RF. The role of small non-coding RNAs in genome stability and chromatin organization. J Cell Sci 2010; 123:1825-39. [PMID: 20484663 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.061713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs make up much of the RNA content of a cell and have the potential to regulate gene expression on many different levels. Initial discoveries in the 1990s and early 21st century focused on determining mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation mediated by small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). More recent research, however, has identified new classes of RNAs and new regulatory mechanisms, expanding the known regulatory potential of small non-coding RNAs to encompass chromatin regulation. In this Commentary, we provide an overview of these chromatin-related mechanisms and speculate on the extent to which they are conserved among eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josien C van Wolfswinkel
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Centre Utrecht, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
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21
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Gerace EL, Halic M, Moazed D. The methyltransferase activity of Clr4Suv39h triggers RNAi independently of histone H3K9 methylation. Mol Cell 2010; 39:360-72. [PMID: 20705239 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2010.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Revised: 05/06/2010] [Accepted: 06/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In fission yeast, the pericentromeric dg and dh repeats are transcribed and give rise to small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) by a mechanism that depends on the Clr4(suv39h) histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methyltransferase. Here, we show that Clr4 activity promotes the assembly of a tripartite complex composed of the Clr4-containing CLRC complex and complexes involved in siRNA generation. However, unlike dh siRNAs, dg siRNAs accumulate to near wild-type levels in cells with H3K9 substitutions that cannot be methylated. Thus, Clr4 activity controls siRNA amplification from the different repeat regions by different mechanisms, H3K9 methylation dependent versus independent. Furthermore, artificial tethering of Rik1, a core subunit of the CLRC complex, to a euchromatic RNA mediates RNAi-dependent silencing that partially bypasses the requirement for other CLRC subunits. These findings establish Rik1 as a key link between CLRC and RNAi and reveal distinct centromeric siRNA amplification mechanisms that depend on the Clr4 methyltransferase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Gerace
- Department of Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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22
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Abstract
The primary role of the nucleus as an information storage, retrieval, and replication site requires the physical organization and compaction of meters of DNA. Although it has been clear for many years that nucleosomes constitute the first level of chromatin compaction, this contributes a relatively small fraction of the condensation needed to fit the typical genome into an interphase nucleus or set of metaphase chromosomes, indicating that there are additional "higher order" levels of chromatin condensation. Identifying these levels, their interrelationships, and the principles that govern their occurrence has been a challenging and much discussed problem. In this article, we focus on recent experimental advances and the emerging evidence indicating that structural plasticity and chromatin dynamics play dominant roles in genome organization. We also discuss novel approaches likely to yield important insights in the near future, and suggest research areas that merit further study.
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Seenundun S, Rampalli S, Liu QC, Aziz A, Palii C, Hong S, Blais A, Brand M, Ge K, Dilworth FJ. UTX mediates demethylation of H3K27me3 at muscle-specific genes during myogenesis. EMBO J 2010; 29:1401-11. [PMID: 20300060 PMCID: PMC2868576 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2010.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2010] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycomb (PcG) and Trithorax (TrxG) group proteins act antagonistically to establish tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. The PcG protein Ezh2 facilitates repression by catalysing histone H3-Lys27 trimethylation (H3K27me3). For expression, H3K27me3 marks are removed and replaced by TrxG protein catalysed histone H3-Lys4 trimethylation (H3K4me3). Although H3K27 demethylases have been identified, the mechanism by which these enzymes are targeted to specific genomic regions to remove H3K27me3 marks has not been established. Here, we demonstrate a two-step mechanism for UTX-mediated demethylation at muscle-specific genes during myogenesis. Although the transactivator Six4 initially recruits UTX to the regulatory region of muscle genes, the resulting loss of H3K27me3 marks is limited to the region upstream of the transcriptional start site. Removal of the repressive H3K27me3 mark within the coding region then requires RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) elongation. Interestingly, blocking Pol II elongation on transcribed genes leads to increased H3K27me3 within the coding region, and formation of bivalent (H3K27me3/H3K4me3) chromatin domains. Thus, removal of repressive H3K27me3 marks by UTX occurs through targeted recruitment followed by spreading across the gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayesta Seenundun
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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24
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RNAi-dependent formation of heterochromatin and its diverse functions. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2010; 20:134-41. [PMID: 20207534 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2010.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2010] [Revised: 02/02/2010] [Accepted: 02/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Expression profiling of eukaryotic genomes has revealed widespread transcription outside the confines of protein-coding genes, leading to production of antisense and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Studies in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and multicellular organisms suggest that transcription and ncRNAs provide a framework for the assembly of heterochromatin, which has been linked to various chromosomal processes. In addition to gene regulation, heterochromatin is crucial for centromere function, cell fate determination as well as transcriptional and posttranscriptional silencing of repetitive DNA elements. Recently, heterochromatin factors have been shown to suppress antisense RNAs at euchromatic loci. These findings define conserved pathways that probably have major impact on the epigenetic regulation of eukaryotic genomes.
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25
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Aygün O, Grewal SIS. Assembly and functions of heterochromatin in the fission yeast genome. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2010; 75:259-67. [PMID: 21502415 PMCID: PMC6309827 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2010.75.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotic genomes, heterochromatin regulates various chromosomal processes including suppression of transcription and illegitimate recombination as well as proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Recent studies using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe model system have revealed a complex interplay among RNA polymerase II transcription, RNAi machinery, and factors involved in posttranslational modifications of histones that are critical for the assembly and maintenance of heterochromatin. Heterochromatin proteins targeted to specific sites in the genome can spread across extended chromosomal domains and mediate epigenetic genome control by providing a recruitment platform for various factors including chromatin-modifying activities. In this chapter, we discuss mechanisms of heterochromatin assembly in fission yeast and highlight emerging evidence suggesting the involvement of heterochromatin factors in the suppression of noncoding RNAs across the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Aygün
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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26
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Suganuma T, Workman JL. WD40 repeats arrange histone tails for spreading of silencing. J Mol Cell Biol 2009; 2:81-3. [PMID: 20008334 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjp046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct binding of WD40 repeat of Embryonic Ectoderm Development (EED) in the Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 (PRC2) to the histone H3 tail regulates the H3K27 methyltrasnferase activity of PRC2. The binding activity is required for the methylation of H3K27 over long distance of a Drosophila chromosome from the UBX (Hox gene) promoter to the PBX upstream enhancer region, implying EED initiates propagation of this repressive mark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamaki Suganuma
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
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27
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Abstract
RITS (RNA-induced initiation of transcriptional gene silencing complex) plays diverse roles in heterochromatin regulation: silencing transcription by recruitment of chromatin modifiers and destroying transcripts by RNAi. In a recent issue of Molecular Cell, Li et al. now show that the polymerization of Tas3, a component of RITS, contributes to the spreading of silencing mediated by RITS.
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