Connection between histone H2A variants and chromatin remodeling complexes

JAZF1: A metabolic actor subunit of the NuA4/TIP60 chromatin modifying complex

The multisubunit NuA4/TIP60 complex is a lysine acetyltransferase, chromatin modifying factor and gene co-activator involved in diverse biological processes. The past decade has seen a growing appreciation for its role as a metabolic effector and modulator. However, molecular insights are scarce and often contradictory, underscoring the need for further mechanistic investigation. A particularly exciting route emerged with the recent identification of a novel subunit, JAZF1, which has been extensively linked to metabolic homeostasis. This review summarizes the major findings implicating NuA4/TIP60 in metabolism, especially in light of JAZF1 as part of the complex.

Autism-Associated Vigilin Depletion Impairs DNA Damage Repair

Vigilin (Vgl1) is essential for heterochromatin formation, chromosome segregation, and mRNA stability and is associated with autism spectrum disorders and cancer: vigilin, for example, can suppress proto-oncogene c-fms expression in breast cancer. Conserved from yeast to humans, vigilin is an RNA-binding protein with 14 tandemly arranged nonidentical hnRNP K-type homology (KH) domains. Here, we report that vigilin depletion increased cell sensitivity to cisplatin- or ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell death and genomic instability due to defective DNA repair. Vigilin depletion delayed dephosphorylation of IR-induced γ-H2AX and elevated levels of residual 53BP1 and RIF1 foci, while reducing Rad51 and BRCA1 focus formation, DNA end resection, and double-strand break (DSB) repair. We show that vigilin interacts with the DNA damage response (DDR) proteins RAD51 and BRCA1, and vigilin depletion impairs their recruitment to DSB sites. Transient hydroxyurea (HU)-induced replicative stress in vigilin-depleted cells increased replication fork stalling and blocked restart of DNA synthesis. Furthermore, histone acetylation promoted vigilin recruitment to DSBs preferentially in the transcriptionally active genome. These findings uncover a novel vigilin role in DNA damage repair with implications for autism and cancer-related disorders.

Nucleosomes and Epigenetics from a Chemical Perspective

Nucleosomes, which are the fundamental building blocks of chromatin, are highly dynamic, they play vital roles in the formation of higher-order chromatin structures and orchestrate gene regulation. Nucleosome structures, histone modifications, nucleosome-binding proteins, and their functions are being gradually unravelled with the development of epigenetics. With the continuous development of research approaches such as cryo-EM, FRET and next-generation sequencing for genome-wide analysis of nucleosomes, the understanding of nucleosomes is getting wider and deeper. Herein, we review recent progress in research on nucleosomes and epigenetics, from nucleosome structure to chromatin formation, with a focus on chemical aspects. Basic knowledge of the nucleosome (nucleosome structure, nucleosome position sequence, nucleosome assembly and remodeling), epigenetic modifications, chromatin structure, chemical biology methods and nucleosome, observation nucleosome by AFM, phase separation and nucleosomes are described in this review.

Lysine acetyltransferase Tip60 is required for hematopoietic stem cell maintenance

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have the potential to replenish the blood system for the lifetime of the organism. Their 2 defining properties, self-renewal and differentiation, are tightly regulated by the epigenetic machineries. Using conditional gene-knockout models, we demonstrated a critical requirement of lysine acetyltransferase 5 (Kat5, also known as Tip60) for murine HSC maintenance in both the embryonic and adult stages, which depends on its acetyltransferase activity. Genome-wide chromatin and transcriptome profiling in murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells revealed that Tip60 colocalizes with c-Myc and that Tip60 deletion suppress the expression of Myc target genes, which are associated with critical biological processes for HSC maintenance, cell cycling, and DNA repair. Notably, acetylated H2A.Z (acH2A.Z) was enriched at the Tip60-bound active chromatin, and Tip60 deletion induced a robust reduction in the acH2A.Z/H2A.Z ratio. These results uncover a critical epigenetic regulatory layer for HSC maintenance, at least in part through Tip60-dependent H2A.Z acetylation to activate Myc target genes.

Therapeutic strategies against hDOT1L as a potential drug target in MLL-rearranged leukemias

Therapeutic intervention of proteins participating in chromatin-mediated signaling with small-molecules is a novel option to reprogram expression networks for restraining disease states. Protein methyltransferases form the prominent family of such proteins regulating gene expression via epigenetic mechanisms thereby representing novel targets for pharmacological intervention. Disruptor of telomeric silencing, hDot1L is the only non-SET domain containing histone methyltransferase that methylates histone H3 at lysine 79. H3K79 methylation mediated by hDot1L plays a crucial role in mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) pathosis. MLL fusion protein mediated mistargeting of DOT1L to aberrant gene locations results in ectopic H3K79 methylation culminating in aberrant expression of leukemogenic genes like HOXA9 and MEIS1. hDOT1L has thus been proposed as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in MLL. This review presents the general overview of hDOT1L and its functional role in distinct biological processes. Furthermore, we discuss various therapeutic strategies against hDOT1L as a promising drug target to vanquish therapeutically challenging MLL.

Conditioned medium derived from human amniotic stem cells delays H2O2‑induced premature senescence in human dermal fibroblasts

Stem cells derived from human amniotic membrane (hAM) are promising targets in regenerative medicine. A previous study focused on human amniotic stem cells in skin wound and scar-free healing. The present study aimed to investigate whether hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced senescence of human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) was influenced by the anti-aging effect of conditioned medium (CdM) derived from human amniotic stem cells. First, the biological function of two types of amniotic stem cells, namely human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) and human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs), on hDFs was compared. The results of cell proliferation and wound healing assays showed that CdM promoted cell proliferation and migration. In addition, CdM from hAECs and hAMSCs significantly promoted proliferation of senescent hDFs induced by H₂O₂. These results indicated that CdM protects cells from damage caused by H₂O₂. Treatment with CdM decreased senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and improved the entry of proliferating cells into the S phase. Simultaneously, it was found that CdM increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and decreased malondialdehyde by reducing H₂O₂-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species production. It was found that CdM downregulated H₂O₂-stimulated 8-hydroxydeoxy-guanosine and γ-H2AX levels and decreased the expression of the senescence-associated proteins p21 and p16. In conclusion, the findings indicated that the paracrine effects derived from human amniotic stem cells aided delaying oxidative stress-induced premature senescence.

KAT-Independent Gene Regulation by Tip60 Promotes ESC Self-Renewal but Not Pluripotency

Although histone-modifying enzymes are generally assumed to function in a manner dependent on their enzymatic activities, this assumption remains untested for many factors. Here, we show that the Tip60 (Kat5) lysine acetyltransferase (KAT), which is essential for embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal and pre-implantation development, performs these functions independently of its KAT activity. Unlike ESCs depleted of Tip60, KAT-deficient ESCs exhibited minimal alterations in gene expression, chromatin accessibility at Tip60 binding sites, and self-renewal, thus demonstrating a critical KAT-independent role of Tip60 in ESC maintenance. In contrast, KAT-deficient ESCs exhibited impaired differentiation into mesoderm and endoderm, demonstrating a KAT-dependent function in differentiation. Consistent with this phenotype, KAT-deficient mouse embryos exhibited post-implantation developmental defects. These findings establish separable KAT-dependent and KAT-independent functions of Tip60 in ESCs and during differentiation, revealing a complex repertoire of regulatory functions for this essential chromatin remodeling complex.

The many faces of histone H3K79 methylation

Dot1/DOT1L (disruptor of telomeric silencing-1) is an evolutionarily conserved histone methyltransferase that methylates lysine 79 located within the globular domain of histone H3. Dot1 was initially identified by a genetic screen as a disruptor of telomeric silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; further, it is the only known non-SET domain containing histone methyltransferase. Methylation of H3K79 is involved in the regulation of telomeric silencing, cellular development, cell-cycle checkpoint, DNA repair, and regulation of transcription. hDot1L-mediated H3K79 methylation appears to have a crucial role in transformation as well as disease progression in leukemias involving several oncogenic fusion proteins. This review summarizes the multiple functions of Dot1/hDOT1L in a range of cellular processes.

Dynamic Changes in Occupancy of Histone Variant H2A.Z during Induced Somatic Cell Reprogramming

The development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has enabled study of the mechanisms underlying cellular reprogramming. Here, we have studied the dynamic distribution of H2A.Z during induced reprogramming with chromatin immunoprecipitation deep sequencing (ChIP-Seq). We found that H2A.Z tended to accumulate around transcription start site (TSS) and incorporate in genes with a high transcriptional activity. GO analysis with H2A.Z incorporated genes indicated that most genes are involved in chromatin assembly or disassembly and chromatin modification both in MEF and Day 7 samples, not in iPSCs. Furthermore, we detected the highest level of incorporation of H2A.Z around TSS in Day 7 samples compared to MEFs and iPSCs. GO analysis with only incorporated genes in Day 7 also displayed the function of chromatin remodeling. So, we speculate H2A.Z may be responsible for chromatin remodeling to enhance the access of transcription factors to genes important for pluripotency. This study therefore provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying induced reprogramming.

Eaf1p Is Required for Recruitment of NuA4 in Targeting TFIID to the Promoters of the Ribosomal Protein Genes for Transcriptional Initiation In Vivo

NuA4 (nucleosome acetyltransferase of H4) promotes transcriptional initiation of TFIID (a complex of TBP and TBP-associated factors [TAFs])-dependent ribosomal protein genes involved in ribosome biogenesis. However, it is not clearly understood how NuA4 regulates the transcription of ribosomal protein genes. Here, we show that NuA4 is recruited to the promoters of ribosomal protein genes, such as RPS5, RPL2B, and RPS11B, for TFIID recruitment to initiate transcription, and the recruitment of NuA4 to these promoters is impaired in the absence of its Eaf1p component. Intriguingly, impaired NuA4 recruitment in a Δeaf1 strain depletes recruitment of TFIID (a TAF-dependent form of TBP) but not the TAF-independent form of TBP to the promoters of ribosomal protein genes. However, in the absence of NuA4, SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase) is involved in targeting the TAF-independent form of TBP to the promoters of ribosomal protein genes for transcriptional initiation. Thus, NuA4 plays an important role in targeting TFIID to the promoters of ribosomal protein genes for transcriptional initiation in vivo. Such a function is mediated via its targeted histone acetyltransferase activity. In the absence of NuA4, ribosomal protein genes lose TFIID dependency and become SAGA dependent for transcriptional initiation. Collectively, these results provide significant insights into the regulation of ribosomal protein gene expression and, hence, ribosome biogenesis and functions.

Eaf1 Links the NuA4 Histone Acetyltransferase Complex to Htz1 Incorporation and Regulation of Purine Biosynthesis

Proper modulation of promoter chromatin architecture is crucial for gene regulation in order to precisely and efficiently orchestrate various cellular activities. Previous studies have identified the stimulatory effect of the histone-modifying complex NuA4 on the incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z (Htz1) at the PHO5 promoter (A. Auger, L. Galarneau, M. Altaf, A. Nourani, Y. Doyon, R. T. Utley, D. Cronier, S. Allard, and J. Côté, Mol Cell Biol 28:2257-2270, 2008, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/MCB.01755-07). In vitro studies with a reconstituted system also indicated an intriguing cross talk between NuA4 and the H2A.Z-loading complex, SWR-C (M. Altaf, A. Auger, J. Monnet-Saksouk, J. Brodeur, S. Piquet, M. Cramet, N. Bouchard, N. Lacoste, R. T. Utley, L. Gaudreau, J. Côté, J Biol Chem 285:15966-15977, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M110.117069). In this work, we investigated the role of the NuA4 scaffold subunit Eaf1 in global gene expression and genome-wide incorporation of Htz1. We found that loss of Eaf1 affects Htz1 levels mostly at the promoters that are normally highly enriched in the histone variant. Analysis of eaf1 mutant cells by expression array unveiled a relationship between NuA4 and the gene network implicated in the purine biosynthesis pathway, as EAF1 deletion cripples induction of several ADE genes. NuA4 directly interacts with Bas1 activation domain, a key transcription factor of adenine genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments demonstrate that nucleosomes on the inactive ADE17 promoter are acetylated already by NuA4 and enriched in Htz1. Upon derepression, these poised nucleosomes respond rapidly to activate ADE gene expression in a mechanism likely reminiscent of the PHO5 promoter, leading to nucleosome disassembly. These detailed molecular events depict a specific case of cross talk between NuA4-dependent acetylation and incorporation of histone variant Htz1, presetting the chromatin structure over ADE promoters for subsequent chromatin remodeling and activated transcription.

The NuA4 complex promotes translesion synthesis (TLS)-mediated DNA damage tolerance

Lesions in DNA can block replication fork progression, leading to its collapse and gross chromosomal rearrangements. To circumvent such outcomes, the DNA damage tolerance (DDT) pathway becomes engaged, allowing the replisome to bypass a lesion and complete S phase. Chromatin remodeling complexes have been implicated in the DDT pathways, and here we identify the NuA4 remodeler, which is a histone acetyltransferase, to function on the translesion synthesis (TLS) branch of DDT. Genetic analyses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed synergistic sensitivity to MMS when NuA4 alleles, esa1-L254P and yng2Δ, were combined with the error-free bypass mutant ubc13Δ. The loss of viability was less pronounced when NuA4 complex mutants were disrupted in combination with error-prone/TLS factors, such as rev3Δ, suggesting an epistatic relationship between NuA4 and error-prone bypass. Consistent with cellular viability measurements, replication profiles after exposure to MMS indicated that small regions of unreplicated DNA or damage were present to a greater extent in esa1-L254P/ubc13Δ mutants, which persist beyond the completion of bulk replication compared to esa1-L254P/rev3Δ. The critical role of NuA4 in error-prone bypass is functional even after the bulk of replication is complete. Underscoring this observation, when Yng2 expression is restricted specifically to G2/M of the cell cycle, viability and TLS-dependent mutagenesis rates were restored. Lastly, disruption of HTZ1, which is a target of NuA4, also resulted in mutagenic rates of reversion on level with esa1-L254P and yng2Δ mutants, indicating that the histone variant H2A.Z functions in vivo on the TLS branch of DDT.

Damaged DNA-binding protein down-regulates epigenetic mark H3K56Ac through histone deacetylase 1 and 2

Acetylated histone H3 lysine 56 (H3K56Ac) is one of the reversible histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) responsive to DNA damage. We previously described a biphasic decrease and increase of epigenetic mark H3K56Ac in response to ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced DNA damage. Here, we report a new function of UV damaged DNA-binding protein (DDB) in deacetylation of H3K56Ac through specific histone deacetylases (HDACs). We show that simultaneous depletion of HDAC1/2 compromises the deacetylation of H3K56Ac, while depletion of HDAC1 or HDAC2 alone has no effect on H3K56Ac. The H3K56Ac deacetylation does not require functional nucleotide excision repair (NER) factors XPA and XPC, but depends on the function of upstream factors DDB1 and DDB2. UVR enhances the association of DDB2 with HDAC1 and, enforced DDB2 expression leads to translocation of HDAC1 to UVR-damaged chromatin. HDAC1 and HDAC2 are recruited to UVR-induced DNA damage spots, which are visualized by anti-XPC immunofluorescence. Dual HDAC1/2 depletion decreases XPC ubiquitination, but does not affect the recruitment of DDB2 to DNA damage. By contrast, the local accumulation of γH2AX at UVR-induced DNA damage spots was compromised upon HDAC1 as well as dual HDAC1/2 depletions. Additionally, UVR-induced ATM activation decreased in H12899 cells expressing H3K56Ac-mimicing H3K56Q. These results revealed a novel role of DDB in H3K56Ac deacetylation during early step of NER and the existence of active functional cross-talk between DDB-mediated damage recognition and H3K56Ac deacetylation.

Histone variants and epigenetics

Histones package and compact DNA by assembling into nucleosome core particles. Most histones are synthesized at S phase for rapid deposition behind replication forks. In addition, the replacement of histones deposited during S phase by variants that can be deposited independently of replication provide the most fundamental level of chromatin differentiation. Alternative mechanisms for depositing different variants can potentially establish and maintain epigenetic states. Variants have also evolved crucial roles in chromosome segregation, transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, and other processes. Investigations into the evolution, structure, and metabolism of histone variants provide a foundation for understanding the participation of chromatin in important cellular processes and in epigenetic memory.

Regulation of histone H2A.Z expression is mediated by sirtuin 1 in prostate cancer

Histone variants seem to play a major role in gene expression regulation. In prostate cancer, H2A.Z and its acetylated form are implicated in oncogenes' upregulation. SIRT1, which may act either as tumor suppressor or oncogene, reduces H2A.Z levels in cardiomyocytes, via proteasome-mediated degradation, and this mechanism might be impaired in prostate cancer cells due to sirtuin 1 downregulation. Thus, we aimed to characterize the mechanisms underlying H2A.Z and SIRT1 deregulation in prostate carcinogenesis and how they interact.

We found that H2AFZ and SIRT1 were up- and downregulated, respectively, at transcript level in primary prostate cancer and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia compared to normal prostatic tissues. Induced SIRT1 overexpression in prostate cancer cell lines resulted in almost complete absence of H2A.Z. Inhibition of mTOR had a modest effect on H2A.Z levels, but proteasome inhibition prevented the marked reduction of H2A.Z due to sirtuin 1 overexpression. Prostate cancer cells exposed to epigenetic modifying drugs trichostatin A, alone or combined with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, increased H2AFZ transcript, although with a concomitant decrease in protein levels. Conversely, SIRT1 transcript and protein levels increased after exposure. ChIP revealed an increase of activation marks within the TSS region for both genes. Remarkably, inhibition of sirtuin 1 with nicotinamide, increased H2A.Z levels, whereas activation of sirtuin 1 by resveratrol led to an abrupt decrease in H2A.Z. Finally, protein-ligation assay showed that exposure to epigenetic modifying drugs fostered the interaction between sirtuin 1 and H2A.Z.

We concluded that sirtuin 1 and H2A.Z deregulation in prostate cancer are reciprocally related. Epigenetic mechanisms, mostly histone post-translational modifications, are likely involved and impair sirtuin 1-mediated downregulation of H2A.Z via proteasome-mediated degradation. Epigenetic modifying drugs in conjunction with enzymatic modulators are able to restore the normal functions of sirtuin 1 and might constitute relevant tools for targeted therapy of prostate cancer patients.

Histone target selection within chromatin: an exemplary case of teamwork

Histone modifiers like acetyltransferases, methyltransferases, and demethylases are critical regulators of most DNA-based nuclear processes, de facto controlling cell cycle progression and cell fate. These enzymes perform very precise post-translational modifications on specific histone residues, which in turn are recognized by different effector modules/proteins. We now have a better understanding of how these enzymes exhibit such specificity. As they often reside in multisubunit complexes, they use associated factors to target their substrates within chromatin structure and select specific histone mark-bearing nucleosomes. In this review, we cover the current understanding of how histone modifiers select their histone targets. We also explain how different experimental approaches can lead to conflicting results about the histone specificity and function of these enzymes.

Eaf5/7/3 form a functionally independent NuA4 submodule linked to RNA polymerase II-coupled nucleosome recycling

The NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex is required for gene regulation, cell cycle progression, and DNA repair. Dissection of the 13-subunit complex reveals that the Eaf7 subunit bridges Eaf5 with Eaf3, a H3K36me3-binding chromodomain protein, and this Eaf5/7/3 trimer is anchored to NuA4 through Eaf5. This trimeric subcomplex represents a functional module, and a large portion exists in a native form outside the NuA4 complex. Gene-specific and genome-wide location analyses indicate that Eaf5/7/3 correlates with transcription activity and is enriched over the coding region. In agreement with a role in transcription elongation, the Eaf5/7/3 trimer interacts with phosphorylated RNA polymerase II and helps its progression. Loss of Eaf5/7/3 partially suppresses intragenic cryptic transcription arising in set2 mutants, supporting a role in nucleosome destabilization. On the other hand, loss of the trimer leads to an increase of replication-independent histone exchange over the coding region of transcribed genes. Taken together, these results lead to a model where Eaf5/7/3 associates with elongating polymerase to promote the disruption of nucleosomes in its path, but also their refolding in its wake.

Epigenetic control of mobile DNA as an interface between experience and genome change

Mobile DNA in the genome is subject to RNA-targeted epigenetic control. This control regulates the activity of transposons, retrotransposons and genomic proviruses. Many different life history experiences alter the activities of mobile DNA and the expression of genetic loci regulated by nearby insertions. The same experiences induce alterations in epigenetic formatting and lead to trans-generational modifications of genome expression and stability. These observations lead to the hypothesis that epigenetic formatting directed by non-coding RNA provides a molecular interface between life history events and genome alteration.

Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation regulates cotranscriptional H2A variant exchange by Tip60 complexes to maximize gene expression

Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and the acetylated H2A variant, H2A.Z/v (H2Avac), are enriched at promoters of highly transcribed loci including the stress response genes. Using the inducible Drosophila hsp70 loci as a model, we study here the roles of the dSet1 and dTip60 complexes in the generation of these two chromatin modifications. We find that Heat Shock Factor recruits the dTip60 complex to the hsp70 loci in cells treated with salicylate, which triggers chromatin remodeling at these loci without transcription activation. Under these conditions, H2Avac or H3K4me3 are not enriched at the hsp70 promoter. By contrast, heat shock-induced hsp70 transcription induces dSet1-dependent H3K4me3 and H2Avac deposition by the dTip60 complex. The loss of dSet1 or dTip60 abolishes H2Avac incorporation, impairs Pol II release from the hsp70 promoter, and causes a stalling of mRNA production during phases of transcription maximization. Biochemical assays confirm that nucleosomal H3K4me3 stimulates the histone acetyltransferase and H2Av exchange activities of dTip60 complexes. H2Avac contributes to nucleosome destabilization at promoters, and H3K4me3 restricts its incorporation to phases of acute transcription. The process uncouples cotranscriptional chromatin remodeling by dTip60 complexes from their role in the activation of PARP, which is responsible for the removal of transcription-incompatible or damaged chromatin during the initial stress response. The control of the multifunctional dTip60 complex by H3K4me3 ensures optimal stress response and cell survival by mediating the rapid maximization of hsp70 expression. Furthermore, this mechanism prevents the accumulation of epigenetic noise caused by random complex-nucleosome collisions.

Precise deposition of histone H2A.Z in chromatin for genome expression and maintenance

Histone variant H2A.Z is essential in higher eukaryotes and has different functions in the cell. Several studies indicate that H2A.Z is found at specific loci in the genome such as regulatory-gene regions, where it poises genes for transcription. Itsdeposition creates chromatin regions with particular structural characteristics which could favor rapid transcription activation. This review focuses on the highly regulated mechanism of H2A.Z deposition in chromatin which is essential for genome integrity. Chaperones escort H2A.Z to large ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes which are responsible for its deposition/eviction. Over the last ten years, biochemical, genetic and genomic studies helped us understand the precise role of these complexes in this process. It hasbeen suggested that a cooperation occurs between histone acetyltransferase and chromatin remodeling activities to incorporate H2A.Z in chromatin. Its regulated deposition near centromeres and telomeres also shows its implication in chromosomal structure integrity and parallels a role in DNA damage response. Thedynamics of H2A.Z deposition/eviction at specific loci was shown to be critical for genome expression andmaintenance, thus cell fate. Altogether, recent findings reassert the importance of the regulated depositionof this histone variant. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Histone chaperones and Chromatin assembly.

Hdac6 regulates Tip60-p400 function in stem cells

In embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the Tip60 histone acetyltransferase activates genes required for proliferation and silences genes that promote differentiation. Here we show that the class II histone deacetylase Hdac6 co-purifies with Tip60-p400 complex from ESCs. Hdac6 is necessary for regulation of most Tip60-p400 target genes, particularly those repressed by the complex. Unlike differentiated cells, where Hdac6 is mainly cytoplasmic, Hdac6 is largely nuclear in ESCs, neural stem cells (NSCs), and some cancer cell lines, and interacts with Tip60-p400 in each. Hdac6 localizes to promoters bound by Tip60-p400 in ESCs, binding downstream of transcription start sites. Surprisingly, Hdac6 does not appear to deacetylate histones, but rather is required for Tip60-p400 binding to many of its target genes. Finally, we find that, like canonical subunits of Tip60-p400, Hdac6 is necessary for robust ESC differentiation. These data suggest that Hdac6 plays a major role in the modulation of Tip60-p400 function in stem cells.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01557.001

Embryonic stem cells are cells that are able to transform into many other types of cells, such as blood cells and skin cells, as well as being able to divide in order to produce more stem cells. Mature cells lack this ability, which is called pluripotency, which is why there is so much interest in using embryonic stem cells to replace or regenerate human cells that have been lost or damaged through injury or illness.

The various processes that result in self-renewal (the production of new stem cells) or differentiation (the production of other types of cells) are controlled by a wide variety of pathways, including some that only apply to the regulation of gene expression in stem cells. A number of these processes are known to involve chromatin – the densely packed structure formed by DNA and proteins called histones.

Now Chen et al. study the means by which chromatin controls the stem cell fates by examining how a large enzyme called Tip60-p400 that interacts with histones – one of the main components of chromatin – in both mature cells and embryonic stem cells. Tip60-p400 is known to switch on genes that cause stem cells to undergo self-renewal, and to switch off the genes that allow stem cells to transform into other cell types, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects have not yet been identified.

Chen et al. studied the activity of Tip60-p400 in mouse embryonic stem cells, and found that another enzyme, Hdac6, had to be present for Tip60-p400 to regulate the genes in the stem cells. Hdac6 is mostly found in the cytoplasm of cells that have differentiated into other cell types, and in the nucleus of stem cells, which is where the DNA resides. In cells from mice that lack Hdac6, Chen et al. also found that stem cells fail to replicate or differentiate properly in culture, underscoring the importance of this particular enzyme, and filling in another piece of the puzzle of stem cell biology.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01557.002

Nucleosome remodeling and epigenetics

Eukaryotic chromatin is kept flexible and dynamic to respond to environmental, metabolic, and developmental cues through the action of a family of so-called "nucleosome remodeling" ATPases. Consistent with their helicase ancestry, these enzymes experience conformation changes as they bind and hydrolyze ATP. At the same time they interact with DNA and histones, which alters histone-DNA interactions in target nucleosomes. Their action may lead to complete or partial disassembly of nucleosomes, the exchange of histones for variants, the assembly of nucleosomes, or the movement of histone octamers on DNA. "Remodeling" may render DNA sequences accessible to interacting proteins or, conversely, promote packing into tightly folded structures. Remodeling processes participate in every aspect of genome function. Remodeling activities are commonly integrated with other mechanisms such as histone modifications or RNA metabolism to assemble stable, epigenetic states.

H2A.Z-dependent crosstalk between enhancer and promoter regulates cyclin D1 expression

H2A.Z association with specific genomic loci is thought to contribute to a chromatin structure that promotes transcription activation. Acetylation of H2A.Z at promoters of oncogenes has been linked to tumorigenesis. The mechanism is unknown. Here, we show that in triple negative breast cancer cells, H2A.Z bound to the promoter of the constitutively, weakly expressed cyclin D1 oncogene (CCND1), a key regulator of cellular proliferation. Depleting the pool of H2A.Z stimulated transcription of CCND1 in the absence of its cognate transcription factor, the estrogen receptor (ER). During activation of CCND1, H2A.Z was released from the transcription start site (TSS) and downstream enhancer (enh2) sequences. Concurrently, acetylation of H2A.Z, H3 and H4 at the TSS was increased but only H2A.Z was acetylated at enh2. Acetylation of H2A.Z required the Tip60 acetyltransferase to be associated with the activated CCND1 on both TSS and enh2 sites. Depletion of Tip60 prevented CCND1 activation. Chromosome conformation capture experiments (3C) revealed specific contacts between the TSS and enh2 chromatin regions. These results suggest that release of a histone H2A.Z-mediated repression loop activates CCND1 for transcription. Our findings open new avenues for controlling and understanding aberrant gene expression associated with tumorigenesis.

Histone H2A variants in nucleosomes and chromatin: more or less stable?

In eukaryotes, DNA is organized together with histones and non-histone proteins into a highly complex nucleoprotein structure called chromatin, with the nucleosome as its monomeric subunit. Various interconnected mechanisms regulate DNA accessibility, including replacement of canonical histones with specialized histone variants. Histone variant incorporation can lead to profound chromatin structure alterations thereby influencing a multitude of biological processes ranging from transcriptional regulation to genome stability. Among core histones, the H2A family exhibits highest sequence divergence, resulting in the largest number of variants known. Strikingly, H2A variants differ mostly in their C-terminus, including the docking domain, strategically placed at the DNA entry/exit site and implicated in interactions with the (H3–H4)₂-tetramer within the nucleosome and in the L1 loop, the interaction interface of H2A–H2B dimers. Moreover, the acidic patch, important for internucleosomal contacts and higher-order chromatin structure, is altered between different H2A variants. Consequently, H2A variant incorporation has the potential to strongly regulate DNA organization on several levels resulting in meaningful biological output. Here, we review experimental evidence pinpointing towards outstanding roles of these highly variable regions of H2A family members, docking domain, L1 loop and acidic patch, and close by discussing their influence on nucleosome and higher-order chromatin structure and stability.

New insights into nucleosome and chromatin structure: an ordered state or a disordered affair?

The compaction of genomic DNA into chromatin has profound implications for the regulation of key processes such as transcription, replication and DNA repair. Nucleosomes, the repeating building blocks of chromatin, vary in the composition of their histone protein components. This is the result of the incorporation of variant histones and post-translational modifications of histone amino acid side chains. The resulting changes in nucleosome structure, stability and dynamics affect the compaction of nucleosomal arrays into higher-order structures. It is becoming clear that chromatin structures are not nearly as uniform and regular as previously assumed. This implies that chromatin structure must also be viewed in the context of specific biological functions.

Grasping trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4

Post-translational modifications of chromatin have become a 'booming' area of biomedical research. One particularly interesting modification that is important for eukaryotic gene expression is trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3), which is almost exclusively associated with active promoters of RNA polymerase II. In this article, we highlight the recent progress related to the biochemistry and biology of this histone mark, including its relevant 'writers' and 'readers'. We also outline the complex regulatory mechanisms that are involved in establishing H3K4me3 in health and disease. Further understanding of H3K4me3 regulation will offer both more insight into chromatin-based mechanisms of gene regulation and provide opportunities for epigenetic intervention of the diseased state.

The 19S proteasome subcomplex promotes the targeting of NuA4 HAT to the promoters of ribosomal protein genes to facilitate the recruitment of TFIID for transcriptional initiation in vivo

Previous studies have implicated SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase) and TFIID (Transcription factor-IID)-dependent mechanisms of transcriptional activation in yeast. SAGA-dependent transcriptional activation is further regulated by the 19S proteasome subcomplex. However, the role of the 19S proteasome subcomplex in transcriptional activation of the TFIID-dependent genes has not been elucidated. Therefore, we have performed a series of chromatin immunoprecipitation, mutational and transcriptional analyses at the TFIID-dependent ribosomal protein genes such as RPS5, RPL2B and RPS11B. We find that the 19S proteasome subcomplex is recruited to the promoters of these ribosomal protein genes, and promotes the association of NuA4 (Nucleosome acetyltransferase of histone H4) co-activator, but not activator Rap1p (repressor-activator protein 1). These observations support that the 19S proteasome subcomplex enhances the targeting of co-activator at the TFIID-dependent promoter. Such an enhanced targeting of NuA4 HAT (histone acetyltransferase) promotes the recruitment of the TFIID complex for transcriptional initiation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the 19S proteasome subcomplex enhances the targeting of NuA4 HAT to activator Rap1p at the promoters of ribosomal protein genes to facilitate the recruitment of TFIID for transcriptional stimulation, hence providing a new role of the 19S proteasome subcomplex in establishing a specific regulatory network at the TFIID-dependent promoter for productive transcriptional initiation in vivo.

Quantitative proteomics reveals new insights into erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum

Differential expression of ligands in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum enables it to recognize different receptors on the erythrocyte surface, thereby providing alternative invasion pathways. Switching of invasion from using sialated to nonsialated erythrocyte receptors has been linked to the transcriptional activation of a single parasite ligand. We have used quantitative proteomics to show that in addition to this single known change, there are a significant number of changes in the expression of merozoite proteins that are regulated independent of transcription during invasion pathway switching. These results demonstrate a so far unrecognized mechanism by which the malaria parasite is able to adapt to variations in the host cell environment by post-transcriptional regulation.

Histone H2A.Z prepares the prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene for androgen receptor-mediated transcription and is upregulated in a model of prostate cancer progression

The histone variant H2A.Z is present at many eukaryotic gene regulatory regions and can affect rates of transcription. Here we show that total H2A.Z and an acetylated form of H2A.Z is mainly present at the prostate specific antigen (PSA) enhancer and promoter in prostate cancer cell lines where the gene is expressed, but the levels decrease during rapid cycles of transcription. Treatment of prostate cancer cells with androgen results in increased H2A.Z levels due to upregulation of the H2A.Z-1, but not the H2A.Z-2 gene. This upregulation is likely the result of increased MYC transcription factor binding that occurs in response to androgen at the H2A.Z-1 promoter. Furthermore, we show that in a LNCaP xenograft model of prostate cancer progression, there is a significant increase of H2A.Z protein in castration resistant LNCaP tumors resulting from increased expression of the H2A.Z-1 gene. While a similar trend was observed in samples from prostate cancer patients, the results were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, there may be a subset of prostate cancers where elevated expression of H2A.Z-1 is indicative of prostate cancer progression to androgen independence.

Structure and nucleosome interaction of the yeast NuA4 and Piccolo-NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complexes

We have used electron microscopy (EM) and biochemistry to characterize the structure and nucleosome core particle (NCP) interaction of NuA4, an essential yeast histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complex conserved throughout eukaryotes. The ATM-related Tra1 subunit, shared with the SAGA coactivator, forms a large domain joined to a second portion that accommodates the Piccolo catalytic subcomplex and other NuA4 subunits. EM analysis of an NuA4–NCP complex shows the NCP bound at NuA4's periphery. EM characterization of Piccolo and Piccolo–NCP provided further information about subunit organization and confirmed that histone acetylation requires minimal contact with the NCP. A small conserved region at the N-terminus of Piccolo subunit Epl1 is essential for NCP interaction, whereas subunit Yng2 apparently positions Piccolo for efficient acetylation of H4 or H2A tails. Taken together, these results provide an understanding of NuA4 subunit organization and NCP interactions.

The mouse mismatch repair protein, MSH3, is a nucleoplasmic protein that aggregates into denser nuclear bodies under conditions of stress

The mismatch repair protein, MSH3, together with MSH2, forms the MutSβ heterodimer which recognizes and repairs base pair mismatches and larger insertion/deletion loops in DNA. Lack of specific antibodies against mouse MSH3 has hampered studies of its expression and localization. Mouse MSH3 is not immunogenic in normal mice. This problem was overcome by immunizing msh3-knockout mice and generating a panel of ten monoclonal antibodies, two of which localize MSH3 specifically in cultured mouse cells and bind to an epitope containing amino-acids 33-37. The panel also includes two antibodies that recognise both mouse and human MSH3 and bind to a conserved epitope containing amino-acids 187-194. The mouse MSH3-specific antibodies show that MSH3 is a nuclear protein with a finely-granular nucleoplasmic distribution, largely absent from areas of condensed heterochromatin. Specificity of the localization was demonstrated by absence of immunostaining in a cell line from the msh3-knockout mouse. Furthermore, we show for the first time that stress treatment of mouse cells with ethanol or hydrogen peroxide caused the re-distribution of MSH3 into nuclear bodies containing the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a known binding partner of MutSβ.

ASF1A and ATM regulate H3K56-mediated cell-cycle checkpoint recovery in response to UV irradiation

Successful DNA repair within chromatin requires coordinated interplay of histone modifications, chaperones and remodelers for allowing access of repair and checkpoint machineries to damaged sites. Upon completion of repair, ordered restoration of chromatin structure and key epigenetic marks herald the cell's normal function. Here, we demonstrate such a restoration role of H3K56 acetylation (H3K56Ac) mark in response to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of human cells. A fast initial deacetylation of H3K56 is followed by full renewal of an acetylated state at ~24-48 h post-irradiation. Histone chaperone, anti-silencing function-1 A (ASF1A), is crucial for post-repair H3K56Ac restoration, which in turn, is needed for the dephosphorylation of γ-H2AX and cellular recovery from checkpoint arrest. On the other hand, completion of DNA damage repair is not dependent on ASF1A or H3K56Ac. H3K56Ac restoration is regulated by ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) checkpoint kinase. These cross-talking molecular cellular events reveal the important pathway components influencing the regulatory function of H3K56Ac in the recovery from UV-induced checkpoint arrest.

Chromatin response to DNA double-strand break damage

Manipulation of chromatin, in which genomic DNA is packaged, is a fundamental requirement for all DNA-based metabolic processes in eukayotic cells. Histone variant incorporation, histone post-translational modifications, and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling are three major strategies for chromatin manipulation, and are relatively well characterized in transcriptional regulation. Emerging lines of evidence indicate that histone variants (H2AX and H2A.Z), histone post-translational modifications (acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation and ubiquitination) and chromatin-remodeling complexes (INO80, SWR1, SWI/SNF, RSC and NuRD) are important and direct players in the DNA double-strand break (DSB) response as well. New studies also reveal that incorporation of histone variants into nucleosomes, histone modifications and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling are specifically and intimately connected during the DSB damage response. This article summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of the relationship between chromatin modifications and the DSB damage response.

Control of nuclear receptor function by local chromatin structure

Steroid hormone receptors regulate gene transcription in a highly tissue-specific manner. The local chromatin structure underlying promoters and hormone response elements is a major component involved in controlling these highly restricted expression patterns. Chromatin remodeling complexes, as well as histone and DNA modifying enzymes, are directed to gene-specific regions and create permissive or repressive chromatin environments. These structures further enable proper communication between transcription factors, co-regulators and basic transcription machinery. The regulatory elements active at target genes can be either constitutively accessible to receptors or subject to rapid receptor-dependent modification. The chromatin states responsible for these processes are in turn determined during development and differentiation. Thus access of regulatory factors to elements in chromatin provides a major level of cell selective regulation.

MYST-family histone acetyltransferases: beyond chromatin

Covalently modifying a protein has proven to be a powerful mechanism of functional regulation. N-epsilon acetylation of lysine residues was initially discovered on histones and has been studied extensively in the context of chromatin and DNA metabolism, such as transcription, replication and repair. However, recent research shows that acetylation is more widespread than initially thought and that it regulates various nuclear as well as cytoplasmic and mitochondrial processes. In this review, we present the multitude of non-histone proteins targeted by lysine acetyltransferases of the large and conserved MYST family, and known functional consequences of this acetylation. Substrates of MYST enzymes include factors involved in transcription, heterochromatin formation and cell cycle, DNA repair proteins, gluconeogenesis enzymes and finally subunits of MYST protein complexes themselves. Discovering novel substrates of MYST proteins is pivotal for the understanding of the diverse functions of these essential acetyltransferases in nuclear processes, signaling, stress response and metabolism.

Histone variant H2A.Z and RNA polymerase II transcription elongation

Nucleosomes containing histone variant H2A.Z (Htz1) serve to poise quiescent genes for activation and transcriptional initiation. However, little is known about their role in transcription elongation. Here we show that dominant mutations in the elongation genes SPT5 and SPT16 suppress the hypersensitivity of htz1Δ strains to drugs that inhibit elongation, indicating that Htz1 functions at the level of transcription elongation. Direct kinetic measurements of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) movement across the 9.5-kb GAL10p-VPS13 gene revealed that the elongation rate of polymerase is 24% slower in the absence of Htz1. We provide evidence for two nonexclusive mechanisms. First, we observed that both the phospho-Ser2 levels in the elongating isoform of Pol II and the loading of Spt5 and Elongator over the GAL1 open reading frame (ORF) depend on Htz1. Second, in the absence of Htz1, the density of nucleosome occupancy is increased over the GAL10p-VPS13 ORF and the chromatin is refractory to remodeling during active transcription. These results establish a mechanistic role for Htz1 in transcription elongation and suggest that Htz1-containing nucleosomes facilitate Pol II passage by affecting the correct assembly and modification status of Pol II elongation complexes and by favoring efficient nucleosome remodeling over the gene.

ATM-dependent cellular response to DNA double strand breaks plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of the integrity of the genome

ATM-dependent cellular response to DNA double strand breaks plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of the integrity of the genome. Upon irradiation, activated ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) proteins phosphorylate various downstream mediators and effectors, such as histone H2AX, MDC1, 53BP1 and NBS1. These proteins create discrete foci within the nuclei, which are detectable under fluorescence microscopes. Interestingly, the size of the foci is also increasing as increasing the time after irradiation. Particularly, the residual foci form large foci, the sizes of which reach approximately 2 μm in diameter. We confirmed that such 'foci growth' is a mechanism, by which DNA damage signal is amplified. Especially, a proper DNA damage response of cells to lower doses of ionising radiation required amplification of the ATM-dependent damage signal by recruiting the DNA damage checkpoint factors to the site of chromatin.

Chromatin dynamics and the repair of DNA double strand breaks

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) arise through both replication errors and from exogenous events such as exposure to ionizing radiation. DSBs are potentially lethal, and cells have evolved a highly conserved mechanism to detect and repair these lesions. This mechanism involves phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γH2AX) and the loading of DNA repair proteins onto the chromatin adjacent to the DSB. It is now clear that the chromatin architecture in the region surrounding the DSB has a critical impact on the ability of cells to mount an effective DNA damage response. DSBs promote the direct the formation of open, relaxed chromatin domains which are spatially confined to the area surrounding the break. These relaxed chromatin structures are created through the coupled action of the p400 SWI/SNF ATPase and histone acetylation by the Tip60 acetyltransferase. The resulting destabilization of nucleosomes at the DSB by Tip60 and p400 is required for ubiquitination of the chromatin by the RNF8 ubiquitin ligase, and for the subsequent recruitment of the brca1 complex. Chromatin dynamics at DSBs can therefore exert a powerful influence on the process of DSB repair. Further, there is emerging evidence that the different chromatin structures in the cell, such as heterochromatin and euchromatin, utilize distinct remodeling complexes and pathways to facilitate DSB. The processing and repair of DSB is therefore critically influenced by the nuclear architecture in which the lesion arises.

DNA damage response

Structural changes to DNA severely affect its functions, such as replication and transcription, and play a major role in age-related diseases and cancer. A complicated and entangled network of DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms, including multiple DNA repair pathways, damage tolerance processes, and cell-cycle checkpoints safeguard genomic integrity. Like transcription and replication, DDR is a chromatin-associated process that is generally tightly controlled in time and space. As DNA damage can occur at any time on any genomic location, a specialized spatio-temporal orchestration of this defense apparatus is required.

Double-strand breaks and the concept of short- and long-term epigenetic memory

Double-strand breaks represent an extremely cytolethal form of DNA damage and thus pose a serious threat to the preservation of genetic and epigenetic information. Though it is well-known that double-strand breaks such as those generated by ionising radiation are among the principal causative factors behind mutations, chromosomal aberrations, genetic instability and carcinogenesis, significantly less is known about the epigenetic consequences of double-strand break formation and repair for carcinogenesis. Double-strand break repair is a highly coordinated process that requires the unravelling of the compacted chromatin structure to facilitate repair machinery access and then restoration of the original undamaged chromatin state. Recent experimental findings have pointed to a potential mechanism for double-strand break-induced epigenetic silencing. This review will discuss some of the key epigenetic regulatory processes involved in double-strand break (DSB) repair and how incomplete or incorrect restoration of chromatin structure can leave a DSB-induced epigenetic memory of damage with potentially pathological repercussions.

H2A.Z demarcates intergenic regions of the plasmodium falciparum epigenome that are dynamically marked by H3K9ac and H3K4me3

Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and their enzymes are promising targets for malaria therapeutic intervention; however, the epigenetic component of gene expression in P. falciparum is poorly understood. Dynamic or stable association of epigenetic marks with genomic features provides important clues about their function and helps to understand how histone variants/modifications are used for indexing the Plasmodium epigenome. We describe a novel, linear amplification method for next-generation sequencing (NGS) that allows unbiased analysis of the extremely AT-rich Plasmodium genome. We used this method for high resolution, genome-wide analysis of a histone H2A variant, H2A.Z and two histone H3 marks throughout parasite intraerythrocytic development. Unlike in other organisms, H2A.Z is a constant, ubiquitous feature of euchromatic intergenic regions throughout the intraerythrocytic cycle. The almost perfect colocalisation of H2A.Z with H3K9ac and H3K4me3 suggests that these marks are preferentially deposited on H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes. By performing RNA-seq on 8 time-points, we show that acetylation of H3K9 at promoter regions correlates very well with the transcriptional status whereas H3K4me3 appears to have stage-specific regulation, being low at early stages, peaking at trophozoite stage, but does not closely follow changes in gene expression. Our improved NGS library preparation procedure provides a foundation to exploit the malaria epigenome in detail. Furthermore, our findings place H2A.Z at the cradle of P. falciparum epigenetic regulation by stably defining intergenic regions and providing a platform for dynamic assembly of epigenetic and other transcription related complexes.

Plasmodium falciparum is a unicellular pathogen that is responsible for the most severe form of malaria. Similar to other eukaryotic organisms, its genome is organized into chromosomes by proteins called histones. Modification or replacement of these histones has marked effects on the packaging grade of DNA and instructs the recruitment of protein complexes, thereby regulating essential cellular processes such as gene expression and replication. Here we unveil the genome-wide localization of two histone H3 modifications (K9ac/K4me3) and a histone variant, H2A.Z, during development of the parasite in the human red blood cells. We find that all three epigenetic features are predominantly present in intergenic regions of the P. falciparum genome, suggesting an interconnecting role in regulation of gene expression. H2A.Z levels appear to be largely invariable throughout intraerythrocytic development while placement/removal of the histone marks is dynamic with H3K9ac and H3K4me3 being transcription-coupled and stage-specific, respectively. These observations support a model in which H2A.Z-containing nucleosomes serve to demarcate regulatory regions in the parasite's genome and promote transcription initiation by guiding chromatin modifying and transcription initiating complexes. The findings and methodological developments presented in this paper provide a cornerstone for future epigenome research in eukaryotic pathogens and vital information to understand and to interfere with parasite development and survival.

[Epigenetic perturbations and cancer: innovative therapeutic strategies against cancer]

A complex system of molecular milestones ensures labelling of the genome, driving its organization and functions. These milestones correspond to particular marks associated to active and repressed genes, as well as to non-coding regions or those containing repetitive sequences. Most of these marks are chemical modifications of DNA, corresponding to cytosine methylation, or various posttranslational modifications of histones, the proteins which package the genome. These chemical modifications of DNA or histones are reversible and are catalysed and removed by enzymatic activities associated with factors ensuring critical cellular functions. Indeed, these enzymes are directly connected with signalling pathways, sensing extra- and intracellular environments. Altogether these mechanisms globally control the expression status of genes in each cell, meaning that certain genes are kept active, while most of the genome remains silent. Subtle metabolic changes or intra and extracellular modifications, by altering the marking associated to genes, can have long-term consequences on their expression status. Genes coding for essential regulators of cellular proliferation and differentiation could be among these genes, such as tumor suppressor genes for instance. Hence the knowledge of all these so-called "epigenetic" mechanisms will shed new light on the environmental impact on the control of gene expression and associated diseases, including malignant transformation. The understanding of these mechanisms will also pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies to fight cancer. This review is aiming to give an overview to the reader of the relevance of epigenetic mechanisms for the understanding and treatment of cancer.

Quantification of gammaH2AX foci in response to ionising radiation

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which are induced by either endogenous metabolic processes or by exogenous sources, are one of the most critical DNA lesions with respect to survival and preservation of genomic integrity. An early response to the induction of DSBs is phosphorylation of the H2A histone variant, H2AX, at the serine-139 residue, in the highly conserved C-terminal SQEY motif, forming gammaH2AX(1). Following induction of DSBs, H2AX is rapidly phosphorylated by the phosphatidyl-inosito 3-kinase (PIKK) family of proteins, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), DNA-protein kinase catalytic subunit and ATM and RAD3-related (ATR)(2). Typically, only a few base-pairs (bp) are implicated in a DSB, however, there is significant signal amplification, given the importance of chromatin modifications in DNA damage signalling and repair. Phosphorylation of H2AX mediated predominantly by ATM spreads to adjacent areas of chromatin, affecting approximately 0.03% of total cellular H2AX per DSB(2,3). This corresponds to phosphorylation of approximately 2000 H2AX molecules spanning approximately 2 Mbp regions of chromatin surrounding the site of the DSB and results in the formation of discrete gammaH2AX foci which can be easily visualized and quantitated by immunofluorescence microscopy(2). The loss of gammaH2AX at DSB reflects repair, however, there is some controversy as to what defines complete repair of DSBs; it has been proposed that rejoining of both strands of DNA is adequate however, it has also been suggested that re-instatement of the original chromatin state of compaction is necessary(4-8). The disappearence of gammaH2AX involves at least in part, dephosphorylation by phosphatases, phosphatase 2A and phosphatase 4C(5,6). Further, removal of gammaH2AX by redistribution involving histone exchange with H2A.Z has been implicated(7,8). Importantly, the quantitative analysis of gammaH2AX foci has led to a wide range of applications in medical and nuclear research. Here, we demonstrate the most commonly used immunofluorescence method for evaluation of initial DNA damage by detection and quantitation of gammaH2AX foci in gamma-irradiated adherent human keratinocytes(9).

NuA4-dependent acetylation of nucleosomal histones H4 and H2A directly stimulates incorporation of H2A.Z by the SWR1 complex

Structural and functional analyses of nucleosomes containing histone variant H2A.Z have drawn a lot of interest over the past few years. Important work in budding yeast has shown that H2A.Z (Htz1)-containing nucleosomes are specifically located on the promoter regions of genes, creating a specific chromatin structure that is poised for disassembly during transcription activation. The SWR1 complex is responsible for incorporation of Htz1 into nucleosomes through ATP-dependent exchange of canonical H2A-H2B dimers for Htz1-H2B dimers. Interestingly, the yeast SWR1 complex is functionally linked to the NuA4 acetyltransferase complex in vivo. NuA4 and SWR1 are physically associated in higher eukaryotes as they are homologous to the TIP60/p400 complex, which encompasses both histone acetyltransferase (Tip60) and histone exchange (p400/Domino) activities. Here we present work investigating the impact of NuA4-dependent acetylation on SWR1-driven incorporation of H2A.Z into chromatin. Using in vitro histone exchange assays with native chromatin, we demonstrate that prior chromatin acetylation by NuA4 greatly stimulates the exchange of H2A for H2A.Z. Interestingly, we find that acetylation of H2A or H4 N-terminal tails by NuA4 can independently stimulate SWR1 activity. Accordingly, we demonstrate that mutations of H4 or H2A N-terminal lysine residues have similar effects on H2A.Z incorporation in vivo, and cells carrying mutations in both tails are nonviable. Finally, depletion experiments indicate that the bromodomain-containing protein Bdf1 is important for NuA4-dependent stimulation of SWR1. These results provide important mechanistic insight into the functional cross-talk between chromatin acetylation and ATP-dependent exchange of histone H2A variants.

Identification and characterization of the two isoforms of the vertebrate H2A.Z histone variant

Histone variants play important roles in the epigenetic regulation of genome function. The histone variant H2A.Z is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to vertebrates, and it has been reported to have multiple effects upon gene expression and insulation, and chromosome segregation. Recently two genes encoding H2A.Z were identified in the vertebrate genome. However, it is not yet clear whether the proteins transcribed from these genes are functionally distinct. To address this issue, we knocked out each gene individually in chicken DT40 cells. We found that two distinct proteins, H2A.Z-1 and H2A.Z-2, were produced from these genes, and that these proteins could be separated on a long SDS–PAGE gel. The two isoforms were deposited to a similar extent by the SRCAP chromatin-remodeling complex, suggesting redundancy to their function. However, cells lacking either one of the two isoforms exhibited distinct alterations in cell growth and gene expression, suggesting that the two isoforms have differential effects upon nucleosome stability and chromatin structure. These findings provide insight into the molecular basis of the multiple functions of the H2A.Z gene products.

The impact of histone post-translational modifications on developmental gene regulation

Eukaryotic genomic DNA is orderly compacted to fit into the nucleus and to inhibit accessibility of specific sequences. DNA is manipulated in many different ways by bound RNA and proteins within the composite material known as chromatin. All of the biological processes that require access to genomic DNA (such as replication, recombination and transcription) therefore are dependent on the precise characteristics of chromatin in eukaryotes. This distinction underlies a fundamental property of eukaryotic versus prokaryotic gene regulation such that chromatin structure must be regulated to precisely repress or relieve repression of particular regions of the genome in an appropriate spatio-temporal manner. As well as playing a key role in structuring genomic DNA, histones are subject to site-specific modifications that can influence the organization of chromatin structure. This review examines the molecular processes regulating site-specific histone acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation with an emphasis on how these processes underpin differentiation-regulated transcription.

Histone variants--ancient wrap artists of the epigenome

Histones wrap DNA to form nucleosome particles that compact eukaryotic genomes. Variant histones have evolved crucial roles in chromosome segregation, transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, sperm packaging and other processes. 'Universal' histone variants emerged early in eukaryotic evolution and were later displaced for bulk packaging roles by the canonical histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4), the synthesis of which is coupled to DNA replication. Further specializations of histone variants have evolved in some lineages to perform additional tasks. Differences among histone variants in their stability, DNA wrapping, specialized domains that regulate access to DNA, and post-translational modifications, underlie the diverse functions that histones have acquired in evolution.