Recognition of CpG island chromatin by KDM2A requires direct and specific interaction with linker DNA.

ABSTRACT: Up to 70% of human genes are associated with regions of nonmethylated DNA called CpG islands (S. Saxonov, P. Berg, and D. L. Brutlag, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 103:1412-1417, 2006). Usually associated with the 5' end of genes, CpG islands are thought to impact gene expression. We previously demonstrated that the histone demethylase KDM2A is specifically recruited to CpG islands to define a unique chromatin architecture and highlight gene regulatory regions in large and complex mammalian genomes. This targeting relies on a zinc finger CXXC DNA binding domain (ZF-CXXC), but how this demethylase interfaces with CpG island chromatin in vivo remains unknown. Here we demonstrate, using defined chromatin templates in vitro and chromatin profiling in vivo, that nucleosomes are a major barrie

SUBMITTER: Zhou JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3255781 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature