Metabolomics,Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

Dataset Information

DRM complex mutant lin-54 vs. H3K36 methyltransferase mutant mes-4 vs. lin-54; mes-4 double mutant vs. wild type C.elegans germline

ABSTRACT: Here we uncover antagonistic regulation of transcript levels in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. The histone methyltransferase MES-4 marks genes expressed in the germline with methylated Lys36 on histone H3 (H3K36me) and promotes their transcription; MES-4 also represses genes normally expressed in somatic cells and genes on the X chromosomes. The DRM complex, which includes E2F/DP and Retinoblastoma homologs, affects germline gene expression and prevents excessive repression of X-chromosome genes. Using genome-scale analyses of germline tissue, we show that common germline-expressed genes are activated by MES-4 and repressed by DRM, and that MES-4 and DRM co-bind many germline-expressed genes. Reciprocally, MES-4 represses and DRM activates a set of autosomal soma-expressed genes and overall X-chromosome gene expression. Mutations in mes-4 or the DRM subunit lin-54 oppositely skew target transcript levels and cause sterility; a double mutant restores near wild-type transcript levels and germ cell development. Together, 'yin-yang' regulation by MES-4 and DRM ensures transcript levels appropriate for germ cell function, elicits robust but not excessive dampening of X-chromosome-wide transcription, and may poise genes for future expression changes. Our study reveals that conserved transcriptional regulators implicated in development and cancer counteract each other to fine-tune transcript dosage. We compared germline gene expression profile of wild-type N2 C. elegans, lin-54(n3423) M+Z- mutant, mes-4(ok2326) M+Z- mutant, and lin-54(n3423);mes-4(ok2326) M+Z-mutant grown at 20C. 50~70 Germlines were dissected from young adults (24hours after L4 stage), and region from the tip until late pachytene stage of meiosis were collected. Three biological replicates for each strain were performed.

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

SUBMITTER: Andreas Rechtsteiner

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-52064 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Publications

Opposing activities of DRM and MES-4 tune gene expression and X-chromosome repression in Caenorhabditis elegans germ cells.

Tabuchi Tomoko M TM Rechtsteiner Andreas A Strome Susan S Hagstrom Kirsten A KA

G3 (Bethesda, Md.) 20140110 1

During animal development, gene transcription is tuned to tissue-appropriate levels. Here we uncover antagonistic regulation of transcript levels in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. The histone methyltransferase MES-4 (Maternal Effect Sterile-4) marks genes expressed in the germline with methylated lysine on histone H3 (H3K36me) and promotes their transcription; MES-4 also represses genes normally expressed in somatic cells and genes on the X chromosome. The DRM transcripti ...[more]

PMID: 24281426

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Project description:DRM is a conserved transcription factor complex that includes E2F/DP and pRB family proteins and plays important roles in development and cancer. Here we perform microarray expression profiling analysis of lin-54, a DNA-binding member of the DRM complex. To identify genes regulated by LIN-54 in soma and germline, we analyzed wild-type and lin-54 mutant C. elegans embryos and isolated germlines. We chose embryos because they consist primarily of somatic cells, at a developmental stage with both active cell divisions and dynamic developmental gene expression programs. Since lin-54 null animals are sterile, embryos were obtained from a strain carrying the partial loss-of-function allele lin-54(n2990). Germlines were dissected from lin-54(n3423) null adults that lack detectable transcript and protein. The results revealed conserved roles for DRM in regulating genes involved in cell division, development, and reproduction. We find LIN-54 promotes expression of reproduction genes in the germline, but prevents ectopic activation of germline-specific genes in embryonic soma. Strikingly, genomics and cytological analyses show that DRM binding, a DRM binding motif, and LIN-54-regulated genes are all autosome-enriched. One paradoxical exception occurs the germline, where DRM binds autosomes but genes down-regulated in DRM mutants are enriched on X chromosomes. We compared embryonic or germline gene expression profile of lin-54 mutants with that of wild-type N2 C. elegans. Embryos were obtained from a strain carrying the partial loss-of-function allele lin-54(n2990) grown at 25C for one generation. Germlines were isolated from lin-54(n3423) null adults that lack detectable lin-54 transcript and protein. We isolated the germline region from the tip until late pachytene stage of meiosis, because nuclei in this region are morphologically similar between wild-type and mutant and are all undergoing X chromosome silencing. 3 biological replicates of each genotype/tissue were examined.

Dataset Information

DRM complex mutant lin-54 vs. H3K36 methyltransferase mutant mes-4 vs. lin-54; mes-4 double mutant vs. wild type C.elegans germline

Publications

Opposing activities of DRM and MES-4 tune gene expression and X-chromosome repression in Caenorhabditis elegans germ cells.

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