1
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Periandri EM, Dodson KM, Vitorino FN, Garcia BA, Glastad KM, Egervari G. Acetate enhances spatial memory in females via sex- and brain region-specific epigenetic and transcriptional remodeling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.26.609729. [PMID: 39253503 PMCID: PMC11382992 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.26.609729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic control of chromatin and gene expression is emerging as a key, but largely unexplored aspect of gene regulation. In the brain, metabolic-epigenetic interactions can influence critical neuronal functions. Here, we use a combination of behavioral, proteomic and genomic approaches to demonstrate that the intermediary metabolite acetate enhances memory in a brain region- and sex-specific manner. We show that acetate facilitates the formation of dorsal hippocampus-dependent spatial memories in female but not in male mice, while having no effect on cortex-dependent non-spatial memories in either sex. Acetate-enhanced spatial memory is driven by increased acetylation of histone variant H2A.Z, and upregulation of genes implicated in spatial learning in the dorsal hippocampus of female mice. In line with the sex-specific behavioral outcomes, the effect of acetate on dorsal hippocampal histone modifications and gene expression shows marked differences between the sexes during critical windows of memory formation (consolidation and recall). Overall, our findings elucidate a novel role for acetate, a ubiquitous and abundant metabolite, in regulating dorsal hippocampal chromatin, gene expression and learning, and outline acetate exposure as a promising new approach to enhance memory formation.
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2
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Wong LH, Tremethick DJ. Multifunctional histone variants in genome function. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00759-1. [PMID: 39138293 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00759-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Histones are integral components of eukaryotic chromatin that have a pivotal role in the organization and function of the genome. The dynamic regulation of chromatin involves the incorporation of histone variants, which can dramatically alter its structural and functional properties. Contrary to an earlier view that limited individual histone variants to specific genomic functions, new insights have revealed that histone variants exert multifaceted roles involving all aspects of genome function, from governing patterns of gene expression at precise genomic loci to participating in genome replication, repair and maintenance. This conceptual change has led to a new understanding of the intricate interplay between chromatin and DNA-dependent processes and how this connection translates into normal and abnormal cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee H Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - David J Tremethick
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capial Territory, Australia.
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3
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Yin X, Zeng D, Liao Y, Tang C, Li Y. The Function of H2A Histone Variants and Their Roles in Diseases. Biomolecules 2024; 14:993. [PMID: 39199381 PMCID: PMC11352661 DOI: 10.3390/biom14080993] [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: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation, which is characterized by reversible and heritable genetic alterations without changing DNA sequences, has recently been increasingly studied in diseases. Histone variant regulation is an essential component of epigenetic regulation. The substitution of canonical histones by histone variants profoundly alters the local chromatin structure and modulates DNA accessibility to regulatory factors, thereby exerting a pivotal influence on gene regulation and DNA damage repair. Histone H2A variants, mainly including H2A.Z, H2A.B, macroH2A, and H2A.X, are the most abundant identified variants among all histone variants with the greatest sequence diversity. Harboring varied chromatin occupancy and structures, histone H2A variants perform distinct functions in gene transcription and DNA damage repair. They are implicated in multiple pathophysiological mechanisms and the emergence of different illnesses. Cancer, embryonic development abnormalities, neurological diseases, metabolic diseases, and heart diseases have all been linked to histone H2A variant alterations. This review focuses on the functions of H2A histone variants in mammals, including H2A.Z, H2A.B, macroH2A, and H2A.X, and their current roles in various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemin Yin
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Dong Zeng
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Yingjun Liao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Chengyuan Tang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
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4
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Feierman ER, Louzon S, Prescott NA, Biaco T, Gao Q, Qiu Q, Choi K, Palozola KC, Voss AJ, Mehta SD, Quaye CN, Lynch KT, Fuccillo MV, Wu H, David Y, Korb E. Histone variant H2BE enhances chromatin accessibility in neurons to promote synaptic gene expression and long-term memory. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2822-2837.e11. [PMID: 39025074 PMCID: PMC11316635 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.025] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Histone proteins affect gene expression through multiple mechanisms, including through exchange with histone variants. Recent findings link histone variants to neurological disorders, yet few are well studied in the brain. Most notably, widely expressed variants of H2B remain elusive. We applied recently developed antibodies, biochemical assays, and sequencing approaches to reveal broad expression of the H2B variant H2BE and defined its role in regulating chromatin structure, neuronal transcription, and mouse behavior. We find that H2BE is enriched at promoters, and a single unique amino acid allows it to dramatically enhance chromatin accessibility. Further, we show that H2BE is critical for synaptic gene expression and long-term memory. Together, these data reveal a mechanism linking histone variants to chromatin accessibility, transcriptional regulation, neuronal function, and memory. This work further identifies a widely expressed H2B variant and uncovers a single histone amino acid with profound effects on genomic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Feierman
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sean Louzon
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Prescott
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tracy Biaco
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qingzeng Gao
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kyuhyun Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine C Palozola
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna J Voss
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shreya D Mehta
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Camille N Quaye
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine T Lynch
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marc V Fuccillo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yael David
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erica Korb
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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5
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Reda A, Hategan LA, McLean TAB, Creighton SD, Luo JQ, Chen SES, Hua S, Winston S, Reeves I, Padmanabhan A, Dahi TA, Ramzan F, Brimble MA, Murphy PJ, Walters BJ, Stefanelli G, Zovkic IB. Role of the histone variant H2A.Z.1 in memory, transcription, and alternative splicing is mediated by lysine modification. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1285-1295. [PMID: 38366138 PMCID: PMC11224360 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01817-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Creating long-lasting memories requires learning-induced changes in gene expression, which are impacted by epigenetic modifications of DNA and associated histone proteins. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones are key regulators of transcription, with different PTMs producing unique effects on gene activity and behavior. Although recent studies implicate histone variants as novel regulators of memory, effects of PTMs on the function of histone variants are rarely considered. We previously showed that the histone variant H2A.Z suppresses memory, but it is unclear if this role is impacted by H2A.Z acetylation, a PTM that is typically associated with positive effects on transcription and memory. To answer this question, we used a mutation approach to manipulate acetylation on H2A.Z without impacting acetylation of other histone types. Specifically, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) constructs to overexpress mutated H2A.Z.1 isoforms that either mimic acetylation (acetyl-mimic) by replacing lysines 4, 7 and 11 with glutamine (KQ), or H2A.Z.1 with impaired acetylation (acetyl-defective) by replacing the same lysines with alanine (KA). Expressing the H2A.Z.1 acetyl-mimic (H2A.Z.1KQ) improved memory under weak learning conditions, whereas expressing the acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1KA generally impaired memory, indicating that the effect of H2A.Z.1 on memory depends on its acetylation status. RNA sequencing showed that H2A.Z.1KQ and H2A.Z.1KA uniquely impact the expression of different classes of genes in both females and males. Specifically, H2A.Z.1KA preferentially impacts genes involved in synaptic function, suggesting that acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1 impairs memory by altering synaptic regulation. Finally, we describe, for the first time, that H2A.Z is also involved in alternative splicing of neuronal genes, whereby H2A.Z depletion, as well as expression of H2A.Z.1 lysine mutants influence transcription and splicing of different gene targets, suggesting that H2A.Z.1 can impact behavior through effects on both splicing and gene expression. This is the first study to demonstrate that direct manipulation of H2A.Z post-translational modifications regulates memory, whereby acetylation adds another regulatory layer by which histone variants can fine tune higher brain functions through effects on gene expression and splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Reda
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Luca A Hategan
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Timothy A B McLean
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jian Qi Luo
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Sean En Si Chen
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Shan Hua
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Stephen Winston
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Isaiah Reeves
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Aditya Padmanabhan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Tarkan A Dahi
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Firyal Ramzan
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mark A Brimble
- Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Patrick J Murphy
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Brandon J Walters
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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6
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Feierman ER, Louzon S, Prescott NA, Biaco T, Gao Q, Qiu Q, Choi K, Palozola KC, Voss AJ, Mehta SD, Quaye CN, Lynch KT, Fuccillo MV, Wu H, David Y, Korb E. Histone variant H2BE enhances chromatin accessibility in neurons to promote synaptic gene expression and long-term memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.29.575103. [PMID: 38352334 PMCID: PMC10862743 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.29.575103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Regulation of histone proteins affects gene expression through multiple mechanisms including exchange with histone variants. However, widely expressed variants of H2B remain elusive. Recent findings link histone variants to neurological disorders, yet few are well studied in the brain. We applied new tools including novel antibodies, biochemical assays, and sequencing approaches to reveal broad expression of the H2B variant H2BE, and defined its role in regulating chromatin structure, neuronal transcription, and mouse behavior. We find that H2BE is enriched at promoters and a single unique amino acid allows it to dramatically enhance chromatin accessibility. Lastly, we show that H2BE is critical for synaptic gene expression and long-term memory. Together, these data reveal a novel mechanism linking histone variants to chromatin regulation, neuronal function, and memory. This work further identifies the first widely expressed H2B variant and uncovers a single histone amino acid with profound effects on genomic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Feierman
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sean Louzon
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Nicholas A. Prescott
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY
| | - Tracy Biaco
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY
| | - Qingzeng Gao
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Kyuhyun Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Katherine C. Palozola
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Anna J. Voss
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Shreya D. Mehta
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Camille N. Quaye
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Katherine T. Lynch
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Marc V. Fuccillo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Yael David
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY
| | - Erica Korb
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
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7
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Lai PM, Chan KM. Roles of Histone H2A Variants in Cancer Development, Prognosis, and Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3144. [PMID: 38542118 PMCID: PMC10969971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Histones are nuclear proteins essential for packaging genomic DNA and epigenetic gene regulation. Paralogs that can substitute core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4), named histone variants, are constitutively expressed in a replication-independent manner throughout the cell cycle. With specific chaperones, they can be incorporated to chromatin to modify nucleosome stability by modulating interactions with nucleosomal DNA. This allows the regulation of essential fundamental cellular processes for instance, DNA damage repair, chromosomal segregation, and transcriptional regulation. Among all the histone families, histone H2A family has the largest number of histone variants reported to date. Each H2A variant has multiple functions apart from their primary role and some, even be further specialized to perform additional tasks in distinct lineages, such as testis specific shortH2A (sH2A). In the past decades, the discoveries of genetic alterations and mutations in genes encoding H2A variants in cancer had revealed variants' potentiality in driving carcinogenesis. In addition, there is growing evidence that H2A variants may act as novel prognostic indicators or biomarkers for both early cancer detection and therapeutic treatments. Nevertheless, no studies have ever concluded all identified variants in a single report. Here, in this review, we summarize the respective functions for all the 19 mammalian H2A variants and their roles in cancer biology whilst potentiality being used in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kui Ming Chan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
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8
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Paniri A, Hosseini MM, Akhavan-Niaki H. Alzheimer's Disease-Related Epigenetic Changes: Novel Therapeutic Targets. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:1282-1317. [PMID: 37700216 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03626-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), although the precise mechanism and molecular basis of AD are not yet fully understood. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, mitochondrial DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), play a role in regulating gene expression related to neuron plasticity and integrity, which are closely associated with learning and memory development. This review describes the impact of dynamic and reversible epigenetic modifications and factors on memory and plasticity throughout life, emphasizing their potential as target for therapeutic intervention in AD. Additionally, we present insight from postmortem and animal studies on abnormal epigenetics regulation in AD, as well as current strategies aiming at targeting these factors in the context of AD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Paniri
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
- Zoonoses Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Amol, Iran
| | | | - Haleh Akhavan-Niaki
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
- Zoonoses Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Amol, Iran.
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9
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Chen CW, Zhang L, Dutta R, Niroula A, Miller PG, Gibson CJ, Bick AG, Reyes JM, Lee YT, Tovy A, Gu T, Waldvogel S, Chen YH, Venters BJ, Estève PO, Pradhan S, Keogh MC, Natarajan P, Takahashi K, Sperling AS, Goodell MA. SRCAP mutations drive clonal hematopoiesis through epigenetic and DNA repair dysregulation. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1503-1519.e8. [PMID: 37863054 PMCID: PMC10841682 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.09.011] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Somatic mutations accumulate in all cells with age and can confer a selective advantage, leading to clonal expansion over time. In hematopoietic cells, mutations in a subset of genes regulating DNA repair or epigenetics frequently lead to clonal hematopoiesis (CH). Here, we describe the context and mechanisms that lead to enrichment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with mutations in SRCAP, which encodes a chromatin remodeler that also influences DNA repair. We show that SRCAP mutations confer a selective advantage in human cells and in mice upon treatment with the anthracycline-class chemotherapeutic doxorubicin and bone marrow transplantation. Furthermore, Srcap mutations lead to a lymphoid-biased expansion, driven by loss of SRCAP-regulated H2A.Z deposition and increased DNA repair. Altogether, we demonstrate that SRCAP operates at the intersection of multiple pathways in stem and progenitor cells, offering a new perspective on the functional impact of genetic variants that promote stem cell competition in the hematopoietic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wei Chen
- Interdepartmental Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linda Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ravi Dutta
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abhishek Niroula
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter G Miller
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Cancer Research and Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Alexander G Bick
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jaime M Reyes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yi-Tang Lee
- Interdepartmental Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ayala Tovy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tianpeng Gu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah Waldvogel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yi-Hung Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Pradeep Natarajan
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Koichi Takahashi
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Adam S Sperling
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaret A Goodell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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10
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Dileep V, Boix CA, Mathys H, Marco A, Welch GM, Meharena HS, Loon A, Jeloka R, Peng Z, Bennett DA, Kellis M, Tsai LH. Neuronal DNA double-strand breaks lead to genome structural variations and 3D genome disruption in neurodegeneration. Cell 2023; 186:4404-4421.e20. [PMID: 37774679 PMCID: PMC10697236 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Persistent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in neurons are an early pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), with the potential to disrupt genome integrity. We used single-nucleus RNA-seq in human postmortem prefrontal cortex samples and found that excitatory neurons in AD were enriched for somatic mosaic gene fusions. Gene fusions were particularly enriched in excitatory neurons with DNA damage repair and senescence gene signatures. In addition, somatic genome structural variations and gene fusions were enriched in neurons burdened with DSBs in the CK-p25 mouse model of neurodegeneration. Neurons enriched for DSBs also had elevated levels of cohesin along with progressive multiscale disruption of the 3D genome organization aligned with transcriptional changes in synaptic, neuronal development, and histone genes. Overall, this study demonstrates the disruption of genome stability and the 3D genome organization by DSBs in neurons as pathological steps in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Dileep
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Carles A Boix
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hansruedi Mathys
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Asaf Marco
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gwyneth M Welch
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Hiruy S Meharena
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Anjanet Loon
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ritika Jeloka
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zhuyu Peng
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Manolis Kellis
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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11
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Porter RS, Iwase S. Modulation of chromatin architecture influences the neuronal nucleus through activity-regulated gene expression. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:703-713. [PMID: 36929379 PMCID: PMC10959270 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220889] [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: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The disruption of chromatin-regulating genes is associated with many neurocognitive syndromes. While most of these genes are ubiquitously expressed across various cell-types, many chromatin regulators act upon activity regulated genes (ARGs) that play central roles in synaptic development and plasticity. Recent literature suggests a link between ARG expression disruption in neurons with the human phenotypes observed in various neurocognitive syndromes. Advances in chromatin biology have demonstrated how chromatin structure, from nucleosome occupancy to higher-order structures such as topologically associated domains, impacts the kinetics of transcription. This review discusses the dynamics of these various levels of chromatin structure and their influence on the expression of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shigeki Iwase
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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12
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Useinovic N, Near M, Cabrera OH, Boscolo A, Milosevic A, Harvey R, Newson A, Chastain-Potts S, Quillinan N, Jevtovic-Todorovic V. Neonatal sevoflurane exposure induces long-term changes in dendritic morphology in juvenile rats and mice. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2023; 248:641-655. [PMID: 37309741 PMCID: PMC10350807 DOI: 10.1177/15353702231170003] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics are potent neurotoxins when given during early development, causing apoptotic deletion of substantial number of neurons and persistent neurocognitive and behavioral deficits in animals and humans. The period of intense synaptogenesis coincides with the peak of susceptibility to deleterious effects of anesthetics, a phenomenon particularly pronounced in vulnerable brain regions such as subiculum. With steadily accumulating evidence confirming that clinical doses and durations of anesthetics may permanently alter the physiological trajectory of brain development, we set out to investigate the long-term consequences on dendritic morphology of subicular pyramidal neurons and expression on genes regulating the complex neural processes such as neuronal connectivity, learning, and memory. Using a well-established model of anesthetic neurotoxicity in rats and mice neonatally exposed to sevoflurane, a volatile general anesthetic commonly used in pediatric anesthesia, we report that a single 6 h of continuous anesthesia administered at postnatal day (PND) 7 resulted in lasting dysregulation in subicular mRNA levels of cAMP responsive element modulator (Crem), cAMP responsive element-binding protein 1 (Creb1), and Protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit alpha, a subunit of calcineurin (Ppp3ca) (calcineurin) when examined during juvenile period at PND28. Given the critical role of these genes in synaptic development and neuronal plasticity, we deployed a set of histological measurements to investigate the implications of anesthesia-induced dysregulation of gene expression on morphology and complexity of surviving subicular pyramidal neurons. Our results indicate that neonatal exposure to sevoflurane induced lasting rearrangement of subicular dendrites, resulting in higher orders of complexity and increased branching with no significant effects on the soma of pyramidal neurons. Correspondingly, changes in dendritic complexity were paralleled by the increased spine density on apical dendrites, further highlighting the scope of anesthesia-induced dysregulation of synaptic development. We conclude that neonatal sevoflurane induced persistent genetic and morphological dysregulation in juvenile rodents, which could indicate heightened susceptibility toward cognitive and behavioral disorders we are beginning to recognize as sequelae of early-in-life anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nemanja Useinovic
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Michelle Near
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Omar Hoseá Cabrera
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Annalisa Boscolo
- Institute of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Padua University Hospital, Padua 35128. Italy
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padua, Padua 35128, Italy
| | - Andjelko Milosevic
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Rachel Harvey
- Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Adre Newson
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Shelby Chastain-Potts
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Nidia Quillinan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Neuronal Injury and Plasticity Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Vesna Jevtovic-Todorovic
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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13
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Herchenröther A, Gossen S, Friedrich T, Reim A, Daus N, Diegmüller F, Leers J, Sani HM, Gerstner S, Schwarz L, Stellmacher I, Szymkowiak LV, Nist A, Stiewe T, Borggrefe T, Mann M, Mackay JP, Bartkuhn M, Borchers A, Lan J, Hake SB. The H2A.Z and NuRD associated protein HMG20A controls early head and heart developmental transcription programs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:472. [PMID: 36709316 PMCID: PMC9884267 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36114-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Specialized chromatin-binding proteins are required for DNA-based processes during development. We recently established PWWP2A as a direct histone variant H2A.Z interactor involved in mitosis and craniofacial development. Here, we identify the H2A.Z/PWWP2A-associated protein HMG20A as part of several chromatin-modifying complexes, including NuRD, and show that it localizes to distinct genomic regulatory regions. Hmg20a depletion causes severe head and heart developmental defects in Xenopus laevis. Our data indicate that craniofacial malformations are caused by defects in neural crest cell (NCC) migration and cartilage formation. These developmental failures are phenocopied in Hmg20a-depleted mESCs, which show inefficient differentiation into NCCs and cardiomyocytes (CM). Consequently, loss of HMG20A, which marks open promoters and enhancers, results in chromatin accessibility changes and a striking deregulation of transcription programs involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and differentiation processes. Collectively, our findings implicate HMG20A as part of the H2A.Z/PWWP2A/NuRD-axis and reveal it as a key modulator of intricate developmental transcription programs that guide the differentiation of NCCs and CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefanie Gossen
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Friedrich
- Institute for Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Biomedical Informatics and Systems Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Institute for lung health, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Reim
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nadine Daus
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Felix Diegmüller
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jörg Leers
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hakimeh Moghaddas Sani
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Gerstner
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Leah Schwarz
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Inga Stellmacher
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Laura Victoria Szymkowiak
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrea Nist
- Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stiewe
- Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tilman Borggrefe
- Institute for Biochemistry, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthias Mann
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Joel P Mackay
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marek Bartkuhn
- Biomedical Informatics and Systems Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Institute for lung health, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Annette Borchers
- Department of Biology, Molecular Embryology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Jie Lan
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Sandra B Hake
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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14
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Torres-Arciga K, Flores-León M, Ruiz-Pérez S, Trujillo-Pineda M, González-Barrios R, Herrera LA. Histones and their chaperones: Adaptive remodelers of an ever-changing chromatinic landscape. Front Genet 2022; 13:1057846. [PMID: 36468032 PMCID: PMC9709290 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1057846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin maintenance and remodeling are processes that take place alongside DNA repair, replication, or transcription to ensure the survival and adaptability of a cell. The environment and the needs of the cell dictate how chromatin is remodeled; particularly where and which histones are deposited, thus changing the canonical histone array to regulate chromatin structure and gene expression. Chromatin is highly dynamic, and histone variants and their chaperones play a crucial role in maintaining the epigenetic regulation at different genomic regions. Despite the large number of histone variants reported to date, studies on their roles in physiological processes and pathologies are emerging but continue to be scarce. Here, we present recent advances in the research on histone variants and their chaperones, with a focus on their importance in molecular mechanisms such as replication, transcription, and DNA damage repair. Additionally, we discuss the emerging role they have in transposable element regulation, aging, and chromatin remodeling syndromes. Finally, we describe currently used methods and their limitations in the study of these proteins and highlight the importance of improving the experimental approaches to further understand this epigenetic machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Torres-Arciga
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan)-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Manuel Flores-León
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Samuel Ruiz-Pérez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan)-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Magalli Trujillo-Pineda
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan)-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo González-Barrios
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan)-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis A. Herrera
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan)-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIBO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
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15
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Wang Q, Qi Y, Xiong F, Wang D, Wang B, Chen Y. The H2A.Z-KDM1A complex promotes tumorigenesis by localizing in the nucleus to promote SFRP1 promoter methylation in cholangiocarcinoma cells. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1166. [PMID: 36368958 PMCID: PMC9652970 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10279-y] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), originating from the bile ducts, is the second most common primary liver malignancy, and its incidence has recently increased. H2A.Z, a highly conserved H2A variant, is emerging as a key regulatory molecule in cancer. However, its underlying mechanism of action in ICC cells remains unclear. Methods Here, we examined the expression of H2A.Z and SFRP1 in normal intrahepatic cholangiocytes, ICC cell lines, ICC tissue microarrays, and fresh specimens. The correlations between H2A.Z or SFRP1 expression and clinical features were analysed. The overall survival rate was analysed based on H2A.Z and SFRP1 expression. Immunoprecipitation was used to analyse the recruitment of KDM1A, and ChIP sequencing and BSP were used to analyse the enrichment of methylation-related molecules such as H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 in the SFRP1 promoter and reveal the underlying mechanisms. Knockdown and rescue experiments were used to determine the potential mechanism by which H2A.Z and SFRP1 promote tumorigenesis in vitro. Results We showed that upregulation of H2A.Z expression is linked to downregulation of SFRP1 expression in ICC tissues and poor overall survival in patients with ICC. H2A.Z interacted with KDM1A in the nucleus to bind to the -151 ~ -136 bp region upstream of the SFRP1 promoter to increase its demethylation in ICC cells. Functionally, H2A.Z silencing inhibited the proliferation and invasion of ICC cells, and these effects were mitigated by SFRP1 silencing in ICC cells. Conclusions Our findings reveal that H2A.Z inhibits SFRP1 expression through chromatin modification in the context of ICC by forming a complex with KDM1A in the nucleus. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-10279-y.
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16
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Feng Y, Zhang Y, Lin Z, Ye X, Lin X, Lv L, Lin Y, Sun S, Qi Y, Lin X. Chromatin remodeler Dmp18 regulates apoptosis by controlling H2Av incorporation in Drosophila imaginal disc development. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010395. [PMID: 36166470 PMCID: PMC9514664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed Cell Death (PCD) or apoptosis is a highly conserved biological process and plays essential roles both in the development and stress context. In Drosophila, expression of pro-apoptotic genes, including reaper (rpr), head involution defective (hid), grim, and sickle (skl), is sufficient to induce cell death. Here, we demonstrate that the chromatin remodeler Dmp18, the homolog of mammalian Znhit1, plays a crucial role in regulating apoptosis in eye and wing development. We showed that loss of Dmp18 disrupted eye and wing development, up-regulated transcription of pro-apoptotic genes, and induced apoptosis. Inhibition of apoptosis suppressed the eye defects caused by Dmp18 deletion. Furthermore, loss of Dmp18 disrupted H2Av incorporation into chromatin, promoted H3K4me3, but reduced H3K27me3 modifications on the TSS regions of pro-apoptotic genes. These results indicate that Dmp18 negatively regulates apoptosis by mediating H2Av incorporation and histone H3 modifications at pro-apoptotic gene loci for transcriptional regulation. Our study uncovers the role of Dmp18 in regulating apoptosis in Drosophila eye and wing development and provides insights into chromatin remodeling regulating apoptosis at the epigenetic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- * E-mail: (YF); (YQ); (XL)
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhiqing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaolei Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lixiu Lv
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shenfei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (YF); (YQ); (XL)
| | - Xinhua Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (YF); (YQ); (XL)
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17
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Leung HW, Foo G, VanDongen A. Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081946. [PMID: 36009494 PMCID: PMC9405677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene Arc is a master regulator of synaptic function and a critical determinant of memory consolidation. Here, we show that Arc interacts with dynamic chromatin and closely associates with histone markers for active enhancers and transcription in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both these histone modifications, H3K27Ac and H3K9Ac, have recently been shown to be upregulated in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When Arc induction by pharmacological network activation was prevented using a short hairpin RNA, the expression profile was altered for over 1900 genes, which included genes associated with synaptic function, neuronal plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and signalling pathways. Interestingly, about 100 Arc-dependent genes are associated with the pathophysiology of AD. When endogenous Arc expression was induced in HEK293T cells, the transcription of many neuronal genes was increased, suggesting that Arc can control expression in the absence of activated signalling pathways. Taken together, these data establish Arc as a master regulator of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression and suggest that it plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Foo
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antonius VanDongen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Correspondence:
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18
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Brown JAR, Cui JH, Ling MYM, Gao EXC, Howe LJ, Teves SS. 43rd International Asilomar Chromatin, Chromosomes, and Epigenetics Conference. Biochem Cell Biol 2022; 100:437-443. [PMID: 35728263 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2022-0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The 43rd Asilomar Chromatin, Chromosomes, and Epigenetics Conference was held in an entirely online format from December 9-11, 2021. The conference enabled presenters at various career stages to share promising new findings, and presentations covered modern chromatin research across an array of model systems. Topics ranged from the fundamental principles of nuclear organization and transcription regulation to key mechanisms underlying human disease. The meeting featured five keynote speakers from diverse backgrounds and was organized by: Juan Ausió, University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada), James Davie, University of Manitoba (Manitoba, Canada), Philippe T. Georgel, Marshall University (West Virginia, USA), Michael Goldman, San Francisco State University (California, USA), LeAnn Howe, University of British Columbia (British Columbia, Canada), Jennifer A. Mitchell, University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada), and Sally G. Pasion, San Francisco State University (California, USA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A R Brown
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Jieying Hazel Cui
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Maggie Y M Ling
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Ellia X C Gao
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - LeAnn J Howe
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Sheila S Teves
- The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 12358, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
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19
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Kreienbaum C, Paasche LW, Hake SB. H2A.Z's 'social' network: functional partners of an enigmatic histone variant. Trends Biochem Sci 2022; 47:909-920. [PMID: 35606214 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The histone variant H2A.Z has been extensively studied to understand its manifold DNA-based functions. In the past years, researchers identified its specific binding partners, the 'H2A.Z interactome', that convey H2A.Z-dependent chromatin changes. Here, we summarize the latest findings regarding vertebrate H2A.Z-associated factors and focus on their roles in gene activation and repression, cell cycle regulation, (neuro)development, and tumorigenesis. Additionally, we demonstrate how protein-protein interactions and post-translational histone modifications can fine-tune the complex interplay of H2A.Z-regulated gene expression. Last, we review the most recent results on interactors of the two isoforms H2A.Z.1 and H2A.Z.2.1, which differ in only three amino acids, and focus on cancer-associated mutations of H2A and H2A.Z, which reveal fascinating insights into the functional importance of such minuscule changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena W Paasche
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sandra B Hake
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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20
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Histone macroH2A1 is a stronger regulator of hippocampal transcription and memory than macroH2A2 in mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:482. [PMID: 35590030 PMCID: PMC9120515 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03435-4] [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: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone variants H2A.Z and H3.3 are epigenetic regulators of memory, but roles of other variants are not well characterized. macroH2A (mH2A) is a structurally unique histone that contains a globular macrodomain connected to the histone region by an unstructured linker. Here we assessed if mH2A regulates memory and if this role varies for the two mH2A-encoding genes, H2afy (mH2A1) and H2afy2 (mH2A2). We show that fear memory is impaired in mH2A1, but not in mH2A2-deficient mice, whereas both groups were impaired in a non-aversive spatial memory task. However, impairment was larger for mH2A1- deficient mice, indicating a preferential role for mH2A1 over mH2A2 in memory. Accordingly, mH2A1 depletion in the mouse hippocampus resulted in more extensive transcriptional de-repression compared to mH2A2 depletion. mH2A1-depleted mice failed to induce a normal transcriptional response to fear conditioning, suggesting that mH2A1 depletion impairs memory by altering transcription. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing, we found that both mH2A proteins are enriched on transcriptionally repressed genes, but only mH2A1 occupancy was dynamically modified during learning, displaying reduced occupancy on upregulated genes after training. These data identify mH2A as a regulator of memory and suggest that mH2A1 supports memory by repressing spurious transcription and promoting learning-induced transcriptional activation.
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21
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Brewis HT, Wang AY, Gaub A, Lau JJ, Stirling PC, Kobor MS. What makes a histone variant a variant: Changing H2A to become H2A.Z. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009950. [PMID: 34871303 PMCID: PMC8675926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin structure and underlying DNA accessibility is modulated by the incorporation of histone variants. H2A.Z, a variant of the H2A core histone family, plays a distinct and essential role in a diverse set of biological functions including gene regulation and maintenance of heterochromatin-euchromatin boundaries. Although it is currently unclear how the replacement of H2A with H2A.Z can regulate gene expression, the variance in their amino acid sequence likely contributes to their functional differences. To tease apart regions of H2A.Z that confer its unique identity, a set of plasmids expressing H2A-H2A.Z hybrids from the native H2A.Z promoter were examined for their ability to recapitulate H2A.Z function. First, we found that the H2A.Z M6 region was necessary and sufficient for interaction with the SWR1-C chromatin remodeler. Remarkably, the combination of only 9 amino acid changes, the H2A.Z M6 region, K79 and L81 (two amino acids in the α2-helix), were sufficient to fully rescue growth phenotypes of the htz1Δ mutant. Furthermore, combining three unique H2A.Z regions (K79 and L81, M6, C-terminal tail) was sufficient for expression of H2A.Z-dependent heterochromatin-proximal genes and GAL1 derepression. Surprisingly, hybrid constructs that restored the transcription of H2A.Z-dependent genes, did not fully recapitulate patterns of H2A.Z-specific enrichment at the tested loci. This suggested that H2A.Z function in transcription regulation may be at least partially independent of its specific localization in chromatin. Together, this work has identified three regions that can confer specific H2A.Z-identity to replicative H2A, furthering our understanding of what makes a histone variant a variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary T. Brewis
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Alice Y. Wang
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Aline Gaub
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Justine J. Lau
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Peter C. Stirling
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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22
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Epigenetic Mechanisms in Memory and Cognitive Decline Associated with Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212280. [PMID: 34830163 PMCID: PMC8618067 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, which include DNA methylation, a variety of post-translational modifications of histone proteins (acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, serotonylation, dopaminylation), chromatin remodeling enzymes, and long non-coding RNAs, are robust regulators of activity-dependent changes in gene transcription. In the brain, many of these epigenetic modifications have been widely implicated in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms has been reported in the aged brain and is associated with or contributes to memory decline across the lifespan. Furthermore, alterations in the epigenome have been reported in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we review the diverse types of epigenetic modifications and their role in activity- and learning-dependent synaptic plasticity. We then discuss how these mechanisms become dysregulated across the lifespan and contribute to memory loss with age and in Alzheimer’s disease. Collectively, the evidence reviewed here strongly supports a role for diverse epigenetic mechanisms in memory formation, aging, and neurodegeneration in the brain.
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23
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Colino-Sanguino Y, Clark SJ, Valdes-Mora F. The H2A.Z-nuclesome code in mammals: emerging functions. Trends Genet 2021; 38:273-289. [PMID: 34702577 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
H2A.Z is a histone variant that provides specific structural and docking-side properties to the nucleosome, resulting in diverse and specialised molecular and cellular functions. In this review, we discuss the latest studies uncovering new functional aspects of mammalian H2A.Z in gene transcription, including pausing and elongation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and enhancer activity; DNA repair; DNA replication; and 3D chromatin structure. We also review the recently described role of H2A.Z in embryonic development, cell differentiation, neurodevelopment, and brain function. In conclusion, our cumulative knowledge of H2A.Z over the past 40 years, in combination with the implementation of novel molecular technologies, is unravelling an unexpected and complex role of histone variants in gene regulation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Colino-Sanguino
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Susan J Clark
- Epigenetics Research Laboratory, Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fatima Valdes-Mora
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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24
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Noyes NC, Phan A, Davis RL. Memory suppressor genes: Modulating acquisition, consolidation, and forgetting. Neuron 2021; 109:3211-3227. [PMID: 34450024 PMCID: PMC8542634 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The brain has a remarkable but underappreciated capacity to limit memory formation and expression. The term "memory suppressor gene" was coined in 1998 as an attempt to explain emerging reports that some genes appeared to limit memory. At that time, only a handful of memory suppressor genes were known, and they were understood to work by limiting cAMP-dependent consolidation. In the intervening decades, almost 100 memory suppressor genes with diverse functions have been discovered that affect not only consolidation but also acquisition and forgetting. Here we highlight the surprising extent to which biological limits are placed on memory formation through reviewing the literature on memory suppressor genes. In this review, we present memory suppressors within the framework of their actions on different memory operations: acquisition, consolidation, and forgetting. This is followed by a discussion of the reasons why there may be a biological need to limit memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel C Noyes
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Anna Phan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11355 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Ronald L Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
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25
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Bano D, Salomoni P, Ehninger D, Nicotera P. The histone code in dementia: Transcriptional and chromatin plasticity fades away. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 60:117-122. [PMID: 34411982 PMCID: PMC8519393 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
With the aging of the population, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia represent major challenges for health care systems globally. To date, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of dementia remain elusive, with a consequent negative impact in developing efficient disease modifiers. New exciting findings suggest that modulation of the histone code may influence transcriptional networks at the root of neuronal plasticity and cognitive performance. Although most of the current conclusions require further mechanistic evidence, it appears that chromatin perturbations actually correlate with Alzheimer's disease onset and progression. Thus, a better understanding of the epigenetic contribution to normal brain function and dementia pathogenesis may help to identify new epigenetic targets for the inhibition of disease trajectories associated with cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Bano
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
| | - Paolo Salomoni
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Dan Ehninger
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
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26
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Lowden C, Boulet A, Boehler NA, Seecharran S, Rios Garcia J, Lowe NJ, Liu J, Ong JLK, Wang W, Ma L, Cheng AH, Senatore A, Monks DA, Liu BH, Leary SC, Cheng HYM. Homeostatic control of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene expression by the histone variant H2A.Z is essential for neuronal survival. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109704. [PMID: 34525369 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone variants are crucial regulators of chromatin structure and gene transcription, yet their functions within the brain remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that the H2A histone variant H2A.Z is essential for neuronal survival. Mice lacking H2A.Z in GABAergic neurons or Purkinje cells (PCs) present with a progressive cerebellar ataxia accompanied by widespread degeneration of PCs. Ablation of H2A.Z in other neuronal subtypes also triggers cell death. H2A.Z binds to the promoters of key nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes to regulate their expression and promote organelle function. Bolstering mitochondrial activity genetically or by organelle transplant enhances the survival of H2A.Z-ablated neurons. Changes in bioenergetic status alter H2A.Z occupancy at the promoters of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes, an adaptive response essential for cell survival. Our results highlight that H2A.Z fulfills a key, conserved role in neuronal survival by acting as a transcriptional rheostat to regulate the expression of genes critical to mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Lowden
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Aren Boulet
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Nicholas A Boehler
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Shavanie Seecharran
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Julian Rios Garcia
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Lowe
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jiashu Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Jonathan L K Ong
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Wanzhang Wang
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Lingfeng Ma
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Arthur H Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Adriano Senatore
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - D Ashley Monks
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Bao-Hua Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Scot C Leary
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Hai-Ying Mary Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.
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27
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Perez JD, Fusco CM, Schuman EM. A Functional Dissection of the mRNA and Locally Synthesized Protein Population in Neuronal Dendrites and Axons. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:183-207. [PMID: 34460296 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-030321-054851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neurons are characterized by a complex morphology that enables the generation of subcellular compartments with unique biochemical and biophysical properties, such as dendrites, axons, and synapses. To sustain these different compartments and carry a wide array of elaborate operations, neurons express a diverse repertoire of gene products. Extensive regulation at both the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels allows for the differentiation of subcellular compartments as well as numerous forms of plasticity in response to variable stimuli. Among the multiple mechanisms that control cellular functions, mRNA translation is manipulated by neurons to regulate where and when a protein emerges. Interestingly, transcriptomic and translatomic profiles of both dendrites and axons have revealed that the mRNA population only partially predicts the local protein population and that this relation significantly varies between different gene groups. Here, we describe the space that local translation occupies within the large molecular and regulatory complexity of neurons, in contrast to other modes of regulation. We then discuss the specialized organization of mRNAs within different neuronal compartments, as revealed by profiles of the local transcriptome. Finally, we discuss the features and functional implications of both locally correlated-and anticorrelated-mRNA-protein relations both under baseline conditions and during synaptic plasticity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio D Perez
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Claudia M Fusco
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Erin M Schuman
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
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28
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Stefanelli G, Makowski CE, Brimble MA, Hall M, Reda A, Creighton SD, Leonetti AM, McLean TAB, Zakaria JM, Baumbach J, Greer CB, Davidoff AM, Walters BJ, Murphy PJ, Zovkic IB. The histone chaperone Anp32e regulates memory formation, transcription, and dendritic morphology by regulating steady-state H2A.Z binding in neurons. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109551. [PMID: 34407406 PMCID: PMC8422973 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid removal of histone H2A.Z from neuronal chromatin is a key step in learning-induced gene expression and memory formation, but mechanisms underlying learning-induced H2A.Z removal are unclear. Anp32e was recently identified as an H2A.Z-specific histone chaperone that removes H2A.Z from nucleosomes in dividing cells, but its role in non-dividing neurons is unclear. Moreover, prior studies investigated Anp32e function under steady-state rather than stimulus-induced conditions. Here, we show that Anp32e regulates H2A.Z binding in neurons under steady-state conditions, with lesser impact on stimulus-induced H2A.Z removal. Functionally, Anp32e depletion leads to H2A.Z-dependent impairment in transcription and dendritic arborization in cultured hippocampal neurons, as well as impaired recall of contextual fear memory and transcriptional regulation. Together, these data indicate that Anp32e regulates behavioral and morphological outcomes by preventing H2A.Z accumulation in chromatin rather than by regulating activity-mediated H2A.Z dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Claire E Makowski
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Mark A Brimble
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Meaghan Hall
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Anas Reda
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Amanda M Leonetti
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Timothy A B McLean
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Jacqueline M Zakaria
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jennet Baumbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Celeste B Greer
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Andrew M Davidoff
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Brandon J Walters
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Patrick J Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada.
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29
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Chiodi V, Domenici MR, Biagini T, De Simone R, Tartaglione AM, Di Rosa M, Lo Re O, Mazza T, Micale V, Vinciguerra M. Systemic depletion of histone macroH2A1.1 boosts hippocampal synaptic plasticity and social behavior in mice. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21793. [PMID: 34320234 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100569r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression and epigenetic processes in several brain regions regulate physiological processes such as cognitive functions and social behavior. MacroH2A1.1 is a ubiquitous variant of histone H2A that regulates cell stemness and differentiation in various organs. Whether macroH2A1.1 has a modulatory role in emotional behavior is unknown. Here, we employed macroH2A1.1 knock-out (-/- ) mice to perform a comprehensive battery of behavioral tests, and an assessment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation) accompanied by whole hippocampus RNA sequencing. MacroH2A1.1-/- mice exhibit a stunningly enhancement both of sociability and of active stress-coping behavior, reflected by the increased social behavior in social activity tests and higher mobility time in the forced swim test, respectively. They also display an increased hippocampal synaptic plasticity, accompanied by significant neurotransmission transcriptional networks changes. These results suggest that systemic depletion of histone macroH2A1.1 supports an epigenetic control necessary for hippocampal function and social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Chiodi
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Domenici
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Biagini
- IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Bioinformatics Unit, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Roberta De Simone
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Tartaglione
- Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Michelino Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Oriana Lo Re
- International Clinical Research Center, St Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tommaso Mazza
- IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Bioinformatics Unit, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Manlio Vinciguerra
- International Clinical Research Center, St Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.,ERA Chair in Translational Stem Cell Biology, Medical University-Varna, Varna, Bulgaria.,Division of Medicine, University College London (UCL), London, UK
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30
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The Journal of Neuroscience's 40th Anniversary: Looking Back, Looking Forward. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4949-4953. [PMID: 33958487 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0512-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Some of us fortunate enough to have published a paper in The Journal of Neuroscience in its inaugural year (1981) have been asked to write a Progressions article addressing our views on the significance of the original work and how ideas about the topic of that work have evolved over the last 40 years. These questions cannot be effectively considered without placing them in the context of the incredible growth of the overall field of neuroscience over these last four decades. For openers, in 1981, the Nobel Prize was awarded to three neuroscience superstars: Roger Sperry, David Hubel, and Torsten Wiesel. Not a bad year to launch the Journal With this as a backdrop, I divide this Progressions article into two parts. First, I discuss our original (1981) paper describing classical conditioning in Aplysia californica, and place our results in the context of the state of the field at the time. Second, I fast forward to the present and consider some of remarkable progress in the broad field of learning and memory that has occurred in the last 40 years. Along the way, I also reflect briefly on some of the amazing advances, both technical and conceptual, that we in neuroscience have witnessed.
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31
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Fuentes-Ramos M, Alaiz-Noya M, Barco A. Transcriptome and epigenome analysis of engram cells: Next-generation sequencing technologies in memory research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:865-875. [PMID: 34097980 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Transcription and epigenetic changes are integral components of the neuronal response to stimulation and have been postulated to be drivers or substrates for enduring changes in animal behavior, including learning and memory. Memories are thought to be deposited in neuronal assemblies called engrams, i.e., groups of cells that undergo persistent physical or chemical changes during learning and are selectively reactivated to retrieve the memory. Despite the research progress made in recent years, the identity of specific epigenetic changes, if any, that occur in these cells and subsequently contribute to the persistence of memory traces remains unknown. The analysis of these changes is challenging due to the difficulty of exploring molecular alterations that only occur in a relatively small percentage of cells embedded in a complex tissue. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in this field and the promise of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and epigenome editing methods for overcoming these challenges and address long-standing questions concerning the role of epigenetic mechanisms in memory encoding, maintenance and expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fuentes-Ramos
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Marta Alaiz-Noya
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Angel Barco
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
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Cole L, Kurscheid S, Nekrasov M, Domaschenz R, Vera DL, Dennis JH, Tremethick DJ. Multiple roles of H2A.Z in regulating promoter chromatin architecture in human cells. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2524. [PMID: 33953180 PMCID: PMC8100287 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22688-x] [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: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin accessibility of a promoter is fundamental in regulating transcriptional activity. The histone variant H2A.Z has been shown to contribute to this regulation, but its role has remained poorly understood. Here, we prepare high-depth maps of the position and accessibility of H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes for all human Pol II promoters in epithelial, mesenchymal and isogenic cancer cell lines. We find that, in contrast to the prevailing model, many different types of active and inactive promoter structures are observed that differ in their nucleosome organization and sensitivity to MNase digestion. Key aspects of an active chromatin structure include positioned H2A.Z MNase resistant nucleosomes upstream or downstream of the TSS, and a MNase sensitive nucleosome at the TSS. Furthermore, the loss of H2A.Z leads to a dramatic increase in the accessibility of transcription factor binding sites. Collectively, these results suggest that H2A.Z has multiple and distinct roles in regulating gene expression dependent upon its location in a promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Cole
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Sebastian Kurscheid
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Maxim Nekrasov
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Renae Domaschenz
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Daniel L Vera
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan H Dennis
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
| | - David J Tremethick
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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Rao-Ruiz P, Visser E, Mitrić M, Smit AB, van den Oever MC. A Synaptic Framework for the Persistence of Memory Engrams. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:661476. [PMID: 33841124 PMCID: PMC8024575 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.661476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to store and retrieve learned information over prolonged periods of time is an essential and intriguing property of the brain. Insight into the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie memory consolidation is of utmost importance for our understanding of memory persistence and how this is affected in memory disorders. Recent evidence indicates that a given memory is encoded by sparsely distributed neurons that become highly activated during learning, so-called engram cells. Research by us and others confirms the persistent nature of cortical engram cells by showing that these neurons are required for memory expression up to at least 1 month after they were activated during learning. Strengthened synaptic connectivity between engram cells is thought to ensure reactivation of the engram cell network during retrieval. However, given the continuous integration of new information into existing neuronal circuits and the relatively rapid turnover rate of synaptic proteins, it is unclear whether a lasting learning-induced increase in synaptic connectivity is mediated by stable synapses or by continuous dynamic turnover of synapses of the engram cell network. Here, we first discuss evidence for the persistence of engram cells and memory-relevant adaptations in synaptic plasticity, and then propose models of synaptic adaptations and molecular mechanisms that may support memory persistence through the maintenance of enhanced synaptic connectivity within an engram cell network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Rao-Ruiz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Esther Visser
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Miodrag Mitrić
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Michel C van den Oever
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Li A, Hu B, Chu C. Epigenetic regulation of nitrogen and phosphorus responses in plants. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 258-259:153363. [PMID: 33508741 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two of the most important nutrients for plant growth and crop yields. In the last decade, plenty of studies have revealed the genetic factors and their regulatory networks which are involved in N and/or P uptake and utilization in different model plant species, especially in Arabidopsis and rice. However, increasing evidences have shown that epigenetic regulation also plays a vital role in modulating plant responses to nutrient availability. In this review, we make a brief summary of epigenetic regulation including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and other chromatin structure alterations in tuning N and P responses. We also give an outlook for future research directions to comprehensively dissect the involvement of epigenetic regulation in modulating nutrient response in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aifu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chengcai Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Mews P, Calipari ES, Day J, Lobo MK, Bredy T, Abel T. From Circuits to Chromatin: The Emerging Role of Epigenetics in Mental Health. J Neurosci 2021; 41:873-882. [PMID: 33446519 PMCID: PMC7880276 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1649-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A central goal of neuroscience research is to understand how experiences modify brain circuits to guide future adaptive behavior. In response to environmental stimuli, neural circuit activity engages gene regulatory mechanisms within each cell. This activity-dependent gene expression is governed, in part, by epigenetic processes that can produce persistent changes in both neural circuits and the epigenome itself. The complex interplay between circuit activity and neuronal gene regulation is vital to learning and memory, and, when disrupted, is linked to debilitating psychiatric conditions, such as substance use disorder. To develop clinical treatments, it is paramount to advance our understanding of how neural circuits and the epigenome cooperate to produce behavioral adaptation. Here, we discuss how new genetic tools, used to manipulate neural circuits and chromatin, have enabled the discovery of epigenetic processes that bring about long-lasting changes in behavior relevant to mental health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Mews
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10129
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Departments of Pharmacology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37323
| | - Jeremy Day
- Department of Neurobiology, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Timothy Bredy
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
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Differential effects of chronic immunosuppression on behavioral, epigenetic, and Alzheimer's disease-associated markers in 3xTg-AD mice. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2021; 13:30. [PMID: 33472690 PMCID: PMC7818784 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-020-00745-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating autoantibodies and sex-dependent discrepancy in prevalence are unexplained phenomena of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using the 3xTg-AD mouse model, we reported that adult males show early manifestations of systemic autoimmunity, increased emotional reactivity, enhanced expression of the histone variant macroH2A1 in the cerebral cortex, and loss of plaque/tangle pathology. Conversely, adult females display less severe autoimmunity and retain their AD-like phenotype. This study examines the link between immunity and other traits of the current 3xTg-AD model. METHODS Young 3xTg-AD and wild-type mice drank a sucrose-laced 0.4 mg/ml solution of the immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide on weekends for 5 months. After behavioral phenotyping at 2 and 6 months of age, we assessed organ mass, serologic markers of autoimmunity, molecular markers of early AD pathology, and expression of genes associated with neurodegeneration. RESULTS Chronic immunosuppression prevented hematocrit drop and reduced soluble Aβ in 3xTg-AD males while normalizing the expression of histone variant macroH2A1 in 3xTg-AD females. This treatment also reduced hepatosplenomegaly, lowered autoantibody levels, and increased the effector T cell population while decreasing the proportion of regulatory T cells in both sexes. Exposure to cyclophosphamide, however, neither prevented reduced brain mass and BDNF expression nor normalized increased tau and anxiety-related behaviors. CONCLUSION The results suggest that systemic autoimmunity increases soluble Aβ production and affects transcriptional regulation of macroH2A1 in a sex-related manner. Despite the complexity of multisystem interactions, 3xTg-AD mice can be a useful in vivo model for exploring the regulatory role of autoimmunity in the etiology of AD-like neurodegenerative disorders.
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JAZF1, A Novel p400/TIP60/NuA4 Complex Member, Regulates H2A.Z Acetylation at Regulatory Regions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020678. [PMID: 33445503 PMCID: PMC7826843 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone variants differ in amino acid sequence, expression timing and genomic localization sites from canonical histones and convey unique functions to eukaryotic cells. Their tightly controlled spatial and temporal deposition into specific chromatin regions is accomplished by dedicated chaperone and/or remodeling complexes. While quantitatively identifying the chaperone complexes of many human H2A variants by using mass spectrometry, we also found additional members of the known H2A.Z chaperone complexes p400/TIP60/NuA4 and SRCAP. We discovered JAZF1, a nuclear/nucleolar protein, as a member of a p400 sub-complex containing MBTD1 but excluding ANP32E. Depletion of JAZF1 results in transcriptome changes that affect, among other pathways, ribosome biogenesis. To identify the underlying molecular mechanism contributing to JAZF1's function in gene regulation, we performed genome-wide ChIP-seq analyses. Interestingly, depletion of JAZF1 leads to reduced H2A.Z acetylation levels at > 1000 regulatory sites without affecting H2A.Z nucleosome positioning. Since JAZF1 associates with the histone acetyltransferase TIP60, whose depletion causes a correlated H2A.Z deacetylation of several JAZF1-targeted enhancer regions, we speculate that JAZF1 acts as chromatin modulator by recruiting TIP60's enzymatic activity. Altogether, this study uncovers JAZF1 as a member of a TIP60-containing p400 chaperone complex orchestrating H2A.Z acetylation at regulatory regions controlling the expression of genes, many of which are involved in ribosome biogenesis.
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Burns AM, Gräff J. Cognitive epigenetic priming: leveraging histone acetylation for memory amelioration. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 67:75-84. [PMID: 33120188 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies have found that increasing histone acetylation by means of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) treatment can ameliorate memory and rescue cognitive impairments, but their mode of action is not fully understood. In particular, it is unclear how HDACis, applied systemically and devoid of genomic target selectivity, would specifically improve memory-related molecular processes. One theory for such specificity is called cognitive epigenetic priming (CEP), according to which HDACis promote memory by facilitating the expression of neuroplasticity-related genes that have been stimulated by learning itself. In this review, we summarize the experimental evidence in support of CEP, describe newly discovered off-target effects of HDACis and highlight similarities between drug-induced and naturally occurring CEP. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of CEP is important in light of the preclinical premise of HDACis as cognitive enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Burns
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Gräff
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Carullo NVN, Phillips III RA, Simon RC, Soto SA, Hinds JE, Salisbury AJ, Revanna JS, Bunner KD, Ianov L, Sultan FA, Savell KE, Gersbach CA, Day JJ. Enhancer RNAs predict enhancer-gene regulatory links and are critical for enhancer function in neuronal systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:9550-9570. [PMID: 32810208 PMCID: PMC7515708 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic enhancer elements regulate gene expression programs important for neuronal fate and function and are implicated in brain disease states. Enhancers undergo bidirectional transcription to generate non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). However, eRNA function remains controversial. Here, we combined Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing (ATAC-Seq) and RNA-Seq datasets from three distinct neuronal culture systems in two activity states, enabling genome-wide enhancer identification and prediction of putative enhancer-gene pairs based on correlation of transcriptional output. Notably, stimulus-dependent enhancer transcription preceded mRNA induction, and CRISPR-based activation of eRNA synthesis increased mRNA at paired genes, functionally validating enhancer-gene predictions. Focusing on enhancers surrounding the Fos gene, we report that targeted eRNA manipulation bidirectionally modulates Fos mRNA, and that Fos eRNAs directly interact with the histone acetyltransferase domain of the enhancer-linked transcriptional co-activator CREB-binding protein (CBP). Together, these results highlight the unique role of eRNAs in neuronal gene regulation and demonstrate that eRNAs can be used to identify putative target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy V N Carullo
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Robert A Phillips III
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Rhiana C Simon
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Salomon A Roman Soto
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jenna E Hinds
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Aaron J Salisbury
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jasmin S Revanna
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Kendra D Bunner
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lara Ianov
- Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Faraz A Sultan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Katherine E Savell
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jeremy J Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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40
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Creighton SD, Stefanelli G, Reda A, Zovkic IB. Epigenetic Mechanisms of Learning and Memory: Implications for Aging. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6918. [PMID: 32967185 PMCID: PMC7554829 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuronal epigenome is highly sensitive to external events and its function is vital for producing stable behavioral outcomes, such as the formation of long-lasting memories. The importance of epigenetic regulation in memory is now well established and growing evidence points to altered epigenome function in the aging brain as a contributing factor to age-related memory decline. In this review, we first summarize the typical role of epigenetic factors in memory processing in a healthy young brain, then discuss the aspects of this system that are altered with aging. There is general agreement that many epigenetic marks are modified with aging, but there are still substantial inconsistencies in the precise nature of these changes and their link with memory decline. Here, we discuss the potential source of age-related changes in the epigenome and their implications for therapeutic intervention in age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha D. Creighton
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; (S.D.C.); (G.S.)
| | - Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; (S.D.C.); (G.S.)
| | - Anas Reda
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S, Canada;
| | - Iva B. Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; (S.D.C.); (G.S.)
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S, Canada;
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Majidi SP, Reddy NC, Moore MJ, Chen H, Yamada T, Andzelm MM, Cherry TJ, Hu LS, Greenberg ME, Bonni A. Chromatin Environment and Cellular Context Specify Compensatory Activity of Paralogous MEF2 Transcription Factors. Cell Rep 2020; 29:2001-2015.e5. [PMID: 31722213 PMCID: PMC6874310 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Compensation among paralogous transcription factors (TFs) confers genetic robustness of cellular processes, but how TFs dynamically respond to paralog depletion on a genome-wide scale in vivo remains incompletely understood. Using single and double conditional knockout of myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family TFs in granule neurons of the mouse cerebellum, we find that MEF2A and MEF2D play functionally redundant roles in cerebellar-dependent motor learning. Although both TFs are highly expressed in granule neurons, transcriptomic analyses show MEF2D is the predominant genomic regulator of gene expression in vivo. Strikingly, genome-wide occupancy analyses reveal upon depletion of MEF2D, MEF2A occupancy robustly increases at a subset of sites normally bound to MEF2D. Importantly, sites experiencing compensatory MEF2A occupancy are concentrated within open chromatin and undergo functional compensation for genomic activation and gene expression. Finally, motor activity induces a switch from non-compensatory to compensatory MEF2-dependent gene regulation. These studies uncover genome-wide functional interdependency between paralogous TFs in the brain. Majidi et al. study how transcription factors respond to paralog depletion by conditionally depleting MEF2A and MEF2D in mouse cerebellum. Depletion of MEF2D induces functionally compensatory genomic occupancy by MEF2A. Compensation occurs within accessible chromatin in a context-dependent manner. This study explores the interdependency between paralogous transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahriyar P Majidi
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; MD-PhD Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Naveen C Reddy
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael J Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tomoko Yamada
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Milena M Andzelm
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Timothy J Cherry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98101, USA; Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1900 9(th) Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Linda S Hu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Azad Bonni
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Ramzan F, Baumbach J, Monks AD, Zovkic IB. Histone H2A.Z is required for androgen receptor-mediated effects on fear memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107311. [PMID: 32916283 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic factors translate environmental signals into stable outcomes, but how they are influenced by regulators of plasticity remain unclear. We previously showed that androgen receptor overexpression inhibited fear memory in male mice and increased expression of the histone variant H2A.Z, a novel epigenetic regulator of memory. Here, we used conditional-inducible H2A.Z knockout mice to investigate how H2A.Z deletion influences androgenic regulation of fear memory. We showed that conditional inducible H2A.Z deletion blocked memory-enhancing effects of androgen depletion (induced by gonadectomy), and of pharmacological inhibition of the androgen receptor with flutamide. Similarly, H2A.Z deletion blocked the memory-reducing effects of DHT, and DHT treatment in cultured hippocampal neurons altered H2A.Z binding, suggesting that AR is an H2A.Z regulator in neurons. Overall, these data show that fear memory formation is regulated by interactions between sex hormones and epigenetic factors, which has implications for sex differences in fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firyal Ramzan
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jennet Baumbach
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Ashley D Monks
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada.
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Zovkic IB. Epigenetics and memory: an expanded role for chromatin dynamics. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 67:58-65. [PMID: 32905876 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nearly two decades of research on epigenetic mechanisms in the brain have demonstrated that epigenetic marks that were once thought to be relatively static are dynamically and reversibly regulated in the brain during memory formation. Here, we focus on new research that has further expanded the dynamic nature of chromatin in memory formation through three key mechanisms. First, we discuss the emerging role of histone variants, which undergo learning-induced turnover or exchange, a process in which one histone type replaces another in chromatin. Next, we focus on chromatin remodeling complexes, which are tightly intertwined with all aspects of chromatin regulation and as such, can reposition or evict nucleosomes to promote transcriptional induction, and mediate histone variant exchange. Finally, we discuss how differential distribution of histone marks to localized narrow genomic regions and/or broadly distributed chromatin domains impact transcriptional outcomes and memory formation. Together, these studies mark a shift toward unraveling the complexity of chromatin function in memory and offer new strategies for fine tuning transcriptional outcomes to modify longevity, specificity and strength of memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada.
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44
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Martire S, Banaszynski LA. The roles of histone variants in fine-tuning chromatin organization and function. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:522-541. [PMID: 32665685 PMCID: PMC8245300 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0262-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Histones serve to both package and organize DNA within the nucleus. In addition to histone post-translational modification and chromatin remodelling complexes, histone variants contribute to the complexity of epigenetic regulation of the genome. Histone variants are characterized by a distinct protein sequence and a selection of designated chaperone systems and chromatin remodelling complexes that regulate their localization in the genome. In addition, histone variants can be enriched with specific post-translational modifications, which in turn can provide a scaffold for recruitment of variant-specific interacting proteins to chromatin. Thus, through these properties, histone variants have the capacity to endow specific regions of chromatin with unique character and function in a regulated manner. In this Review, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of the contribution of histone variants to chromatin function in mammalian systems. First, we discuss new molecular insights into chaperone-mediated histone variant deposition. Next, we discuss mechanisms by which histone variants influence chromatin properties such as nucleosome stability and the local chromatin environment both through histone variant sequence-specific effects and through their role in recruiting different chromatin-associated complexes. Finally, we focus on histone variant function in the context of both embryonic development and human disease, specifically developmental syndromes and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Martire
- Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Laura A Banaszynski
- Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Sex-specific effects of the histone variant H2A.Z on fear memory, stress-enhanced fear learning and hypersensitivity to pain. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14331. [PMID: 32868857 PMCID: PMC7458907 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that histone variants are novel epigenetic regulators of memory, whereby histone H2A.Z suppresses fear memory. However, it is not clear if altered fear memory can also modify risk for PTSD, and whether these effects differ in males and females. Using conditional-inducible H2A.Z knockout (cKO) mice, we showed that H2A.Z binding is higher in females and that H2A.Z cKO enhanced fear memory only in males. However, H2A.Z cKO improved memory on the non-aversive object-in-place task in both sexes, suggesting that H2A.Z suppresses non-stressful memory irrespective of sex. Given that risk for fear-related disorders, such as PTSD, is biased toward females, we examined whether H2A.Z cKO also has sex-specific effects on fear sensitization in the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) model of PTSD, as well as associated changes in pain sensitivity. We found that H2A.Z cKO reduced stress-induced sensitization of fear learning and pain responses preferentially in female mice, indicating that the effects of H2A.Z depend on sex and the type of task, and are influenced by history of stress. These data suggest that H2A.Z may be a sex-specific epigenetic risk factor for PTSD susceptibility, with implications for developing sex-specific therapeutic interventions.
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Bagchi DN, Battenhouse AM, Park D, Iyer VR. The histone variant H2A.Z in yeast is almost exclusively incorporated into the +1 nucleosome in the direction of transcription. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:157-170. [PMID: 31722407 PMCID: PMC7145542 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription start sites (TSS) in eukaryotes are characterized by a nucleosome-depleted region (NDR), which appears to be flanked upstream and downstream by strongly positioned nucleosomes incorporating the histone variant H2A.Z. H2A.Z associates with both active and repressed TSS and is important for priming genes for rapid transcriptional activation. However, the determinants of H2A.Z occupancy at specific nucleosomes and its relationship to transcription initiation remain unclear. To further elucidate the specificity of H2A.Z, we determined its genomic localization at single nucleosome resolution, as well as the localization of its chromatin remodelers Swr1 and Ino80. By analyzing H2A.Z occupancy in conjunction with RNA expression data that captures promoter-derived antisense initiation, we find that H2A.Z's bimodal incorporation on either side of the NDR is not a general feature of TSS, but is specifically a marker for bidirectional transcription, such that the upstream flanking -1 H2A.Z-containing nucleosome is more appropriately considered as a +1 H2A.Z nucleosome for antisense transcription. The localization of H2A.Z almost exclusively at the +1 nucleosome suggests that a transcription-initiation dependent process could contribute to its specific incorporation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dia N Bagchi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Anna M Battenhouse
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Daechan Park
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Vishwanath R Iyer
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Raja DA, Subramaniam Y, Aggarwal A, Gotherwal V, Babu A, Tanwar J, Motiani RK, Sivasubbu S, Gokhale RS, Natarajan VT. Histone variant dictates fate biasing of neural crest cells to melanocyte lineage. Development 2020; 147:dev.182576. [PMID: 32098766 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In the neural crest lineage, progressive fate restriction and stem cell assignment are crucial for both development and regeneration. Whereas fate commitment events have distinct transcriptional footprints, fate biasing is often transitory and metastable, and is thought to be moulded by epigenetic programmes. Therefore, the molecular basis of specification is difficult to define. In this study, we established a role for a histone variant, H2a.z.2, in specification of the melanocyte lineage from multipotent neural crest cells. H2a.z.2 silencing reduces the number of melanocyte precursors in developing zebrafish embryos and from mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro We demonstrate that this histone variant occupies nucleosomes in the promoter of the key melanocyte determinant mitf, and enhances its induction. CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted mutagenesis of this gene in zebrafish drastically reduces adult melanocytes, as well as their regeneration. Thereby, our study establishes the role of a histone variant upstream of the core gene regulatory network in the neural crest lineage. This epigenetic mark is a key determinant of cell fate and facilitates gene activation by external instructive signals, thereby establishing melanocyte fate identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desingu Ayyappa Raja
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Yogaspoorthi Subramaniam
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Ayush Aggarwal
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Vishvabandhu Gotherwal
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Aswini Babu
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Jyoti Tanwar
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Rajender K Motiani
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Sridhar Sivasubbu
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Rajesh S Gokhale
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Vivek T Natarajan
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
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48
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Schaffner SL, Lussier AA, Baker JA, Goldowitz D, Hamre KM, Kobor MS. Neonatal Alcohol Exposure in Mice Induces Select Differentiation- and Apoptosis-Related Chromatin Changes Both Independent of and Dependent on Sex. Front Genet 2020; 11:35. [PMID: 32117449 PMCID: PMC7026456 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects many aspects of physiology and behavior, including brain development. Specifically, ethanol can influence expression of genes important for brain growth, including chromatin modifiers. Ethanol can also increase apoptotic cell death in the brain and alter epigenetic profiles such as modifications to histones and DNA methylation. Although differential sex outcomes and disruptions to the function of multiple brain regions have been reported in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), the majority of our knowledge on molecular epigenetic and apoptotic dysregulation in PAE is based on data from males and is sometimes limited to assessments of the whole brain or one brain region. Here, we examined histone modifications, DNA methylation, and expression of genes involved in differentiation and proliferation related-chromatin modifications and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of C57BL/6J mice exposed to an acute alcohol challenge on postnatal day 7, with a focus on differential outcomes between sexes and brain regions. We found that neonatal alcohol exposure altered histone modifications, and impacted expression of a select few chromatin modifier and apoptotic genes in both the cortex and cerebellum. The results were observed primarily in a sex-independent manner, although some additional trends toward sexual dimorphisms were observed. Alcohol exposure induced trends toward increased bulk H3K4me3 levels, increased Kmt2e expression, and elevated levels of Casp6 mRNA and bulk γH2A.X. Additional trends indicated that ethanol may impact Kdm4a promoter DNA methylation levels and bulk levels of the histone variant H2A.Z, although further studies are needed. We comprehensively examined effects of ethanol exposure across different sexes and brain regions, and our results suggest that major impacts of ethanol on bulk chromatin modifications underlying differentiation and apoptosis may be broadly applicable across the rodent cortex and cerebellum in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Schaffner
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alexandre A. Lussier
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica A. Baker
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Dan Goldowitz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kristin M. Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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49
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Baumbach JL, Zovkic IB. Hormone-epigenome interactions in behavioural regulation. Horm Behav 2020; 118:104680. [PMID: 31927018 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between hormones and epigenetic factors are key regulators of behaviour, but the mechanisms that underlie their effects are complex. Epigenetic factors can modify sensitivity to hormones by altering hormone receptor expression, and hormones can regulate epigenetic factors by recruiting epigenetic regulators to DNA. The bidirectional nature of this relationship is becoming increasingly evident and suggests that the ability of hormones to regulate certain forms of behaviour may depend on their ability to induce changes in the epigenome. Moreover, sex differences have been reported for several epigenetic modifications, and epigenetic factors are thought to regulate sexual differentiation of behaviour, although specific mechanisms remain to be understood. Indeed, hormone-epigenome interactions are highly complex and involve both canonical and non-canonical regulatory pathways that may permit for highly specific gene regulation to promote variable forms of behavioural adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennet L Baumbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada.
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50
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Liu XS, Jaenisch R. Editing the Epigenome to Tackle Brain Disorders. Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:861-870. [PMID: 31706628 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Genetic studies of epigenetic modifiers such as DNA methyltransferases and histone acetyltransferases have revealed a critical role for epigenetic regulation during brain development and function. Alteration of epigenetic modifications have been documented in a variety of brain disorders, including neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. Development of epigenome editing tools enables a functional dissection of the link between altered epigenetic changes and disease outcomes. Here, we review the development of epigenome editing tools, summarize proof of concept applications focusing on brain disease-associated genes, and discuss the promising application and challenges of epigenome editing to tackle brain disorders.
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