Project description:Promoters of many developmentally regulated genes, in the embryonic stem cell state, have a bivalent mark of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, proposed to confer precise temporal activation upon differentiation. Although Polycomb repressive complex 2 is known to implement H3K27 trimethylation, the COMPASS family member responsible for H3K4me3 at bivalently marked promoters was previously unknown. Here, we identify Mll2 (KMT2b) as the enzyme catalyzing H3K4 trimethylation at bivalently marked promoters in embryonic stem cells. Although H3K4me3 at bivalent genes is proposed to prime future activation, we detected no substantial defect in rapid transcriptional induction after retinoic acid treatment in Mll2-depleted cells. Our identification of the Mll2 complex as the COMPASS family member responsible for H3K4me3 marking at bivalent promoters provides an opportunity to reevaluate and experimentally test models for the function of bivalency in the embryonic stem cell state and in differentiation. ChIP-Seq in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells for MLL2. ChIP-seq of H3K4me1, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 for mES cells with RNAi against MLL2(shMLL2) and control (shGFP). ChIP-seq of H3K4me3 in mES cells with RNAi against MLL3 (shMLL3). RNA-seq of mES cells with RNAi against MLL2 and control (shGFP). RNA-seq of control mES cells (shGFP) or MLL2 RNAi mES cells (shMLL2) induced with RA for 6h and 12h.
Project description:Promoters of many developmentally regulated genes, in the embryonic stem cell state, have a bivalent mark of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, proposed to confer precise temporal activation upon differentiation. Although Polycomb repressive complex 2 is known to implement H3K27 trimethylation, the COMPASS family member responsible for H3K4me3 at bivalently marked promoters was previously unknown. Here, we identify Mll2 (KMT2b) as the enzyme catalyzing H3K4 trimethylation at bivalently marked promoters in embryonic stem cells. Although H3K4me3 at bivalent genes is proposed to prime future activation, we detected no substantial defect in rapid transcriptional induction after retinoic acid treatment in Mll2-depleted cells. Our identification of the Mll2 complex as the COMPASS family member responsible for H3K4me3 marking at bivalent promoters provides an opportunity to reevaluate and experimentally test models for the function of bivalency in the embryonic stem cell state and in differentiation.
Project description:Trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) at promoters of actively transcribed genes is a universal epigenetic mark and a key product of Trithorax-Group action. Here we show that Mll2, one of the six Set1/Trithorax-type H3K4 methyltransferases in mammals, is required for trimethylation of bivalent promoters in mouse embryonic stem cells. Mll2 is bound to bivalent promoters but also to most active promoters, which do not require Mll2 for H3K4me3 or mRNA expression. In contrast, the Set1 complex (Set1C) subunit Cxxc1 is primarily bound to active but not bivalent promoters. This indicates that bivalent promoters rely on Mll2 for H3K4me3 whereas active promoters have more than one bound H3K4 methyltransferase including Set1C. Removal of Mll1, sister to Mll2, had almost no effect on any promoter unless Mll2 was also removed indicating functional back-up between these enzymes. Except for a subset, loss of H3K4me3 on bivalent promoters did not prevent responsiveness to retinoic acid thereby arguing against a priming model for bivalency. In contrast, we propose that Mll2 is the pioneer trimethyltransferase for promoter definition in the naM-CM-/ve epigenome and Polycomb-Group action on bivalent promoters blocks premature establishment of active, Set1C bound, promoters. ChIP-Seq to study MLL2 function using H3K4me3 (12 samples), H3K27me3 (4 samples), Pol2 (1 sample) or GFP (7 samples) antibody, and 6 RNA-Seq profiles
Project description:Trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) at promoters of actively transcribed genes is a universal epigenetic mark and a key product of Trithorax-Group action. Here we show that Mll2, one of the six Set1/Trithorax-type H3K4 methyltransferases in mammals, is required for trimethylation of bivalent promoters in mouse embryonic stem cells. Mll2 is bound to bivalent promoters but also to most active promoters, which do not require Mll2 for H3K4me3 or mRNA expression. In contrast, the Set1 complex (Set1C) subunit Cxxc1 is primarily bound to active but not bivalent promoters. This indicates that bivalent promoters rely on Mll2 for H3K4me3 whereas active promoters have more than one bound H3K4 methyltransferase including Set1C. Removal of Mll1, sister to Mll2, had almost no effect on any promoter unless Mll2 was also removed indicating functional back-up between these enzymes. Except for a subset, loss of H3K4me3 on bivalent promoters did not prevent responsiveness to retinoic acid thereby arguing against a priming model for bivalency. In contrast, we propose that Mll2 is the pioneer trimethyltransferase for promoter definition in the naïve epigenome and Polycomb-Group action on bivalent promoters blocks premature establishment of active, Set1C bound, promoters.
Project description:The spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression is central for cell-lineage specification during embryonic development and is achieved through the combinatorial action of transcription factors/co-factors and the epigenetic states at cis-regulatory elements. Previously, we reported that Mll2 (KMT2B)/COMPASS is responsible for the implementation of H3K4me3 at promoters of bivalent genes. Here, we show that Mll2/COMPASS can also implements H3K4me3 at some of the non-TSS regulatory elements, a subset of which share epigenetic signatures of active enhancers. Our mechanistic studies reveal that the association of Mll2’s CXXC domain with CpG-rich regions plays an instrumental role for chromatin targeting and subsequent implementation of H3K4me3. Although Mll2/COMPASS is required for H3K4me3 implementation on thousands of sites, it appears to be essential for the expression of a subset of genes, including those functioning in the control of transcriptional programs during embryonic development, indicating that not all H3K4 trimethylations implemented by MLL2/COMPASS are functionally equivalent.
Project description:Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) facilitates recruitment of transcription factors and epigenetic effectors to promote transcriptional activation and ensure cellular identity. This conserved histone mark is implemented by the COMPASS (COMplex of Proteins ASsociated with Set1) family of H3K4 methyltransferases. COMPASS members Set1A and Set1B have been accredited as primary depositors of global H3K4me3 in mammalian cells. Our previous studies in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) demonstrated that deleting the enzymatic SET domain of Set1A does not perturb bulk H3K4me3, indicating possible compensatory roles played by other COMPASS methyltransferases. Here, we generated a series of ESC lines harboring compounding mutations of the COMPASS enzymes. We find that Set1B is functionally redundant to Set1A in implementing H3K4me3 at highly expressed genes, while Mll2 deposits H3K4me3 at less transcriptionally active promoters. Furthermore, Set1A and Set1B are responsible for broad H3K4me3 peaks, whereas Mll2 establishes H3K4me3 with narrow breadth. Most importantly, Mll2 helps preserve global H3K4me3 levels and peak breadth. Our results illustrate the biological flexibility of such enzymes in regulating transcription in a context-dependent manner to maintain stem cell identity, which could assist our understanding of their disease liability.
Project description:Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) can be mono-, di-, and trimethylated by members of the COMPASS (COMplex of Proteins ASsociated with Set1) family from yeast to human and these modifications can be found at distinct regions of the genome. Monomethylation of histone H3K4 (H3K4me1) is relatively more enriched at metazoan enhancer regions compared to trimethylated histone H3K4 (H3K4me3), which are found at transcription start sites in all eukaryotes. Our recent studies in Drosophila demonstrated that the Trithorax-related (Trr) branch of the COMPASS family regulates enhancer activity and is responsible for the implementation of H3K4me1 at these regions. There are six COMPASS family members in mammals, two of which, MLL3 and MLL4, are most closely related to Drosophila Trr. Here, we use ChIP-seq of this class of COMPASS family members in both human HCT116 cells and mouse embryonic stem cells and find that MLL4 is preferentially found at enhancer regions. MLL3 and MLL4 are frequently mutated in cancer, and indeed, the widely used HCT116 cancer cell line contains inactivating mutations in the MLL3 gene. Using HCT116 cells in which MLL4 has also been knocked out, we demonstrate that MLL4 is a major regulator of H3K4me1 in these cells, with the greatest loss of monomethylation at enhancer regions. Moreover, we found a redundant role between Mll3 and Mll4 in enhancer H3K4 monomethylation in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells. These findings suggest that mammalian MLL3/MLL4 function in the regulation of enhancer activity and enhancer-promoter communication during gene expression and that mutations of MLL3 and MLL4 found in cancer could exert their properties through enhancer malfunction. ChIP-Seq in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells for MLL4. ChIP-seq of MLL4 and p300 in human parental HCT116 cells. ChIP-seq of H3K4me1, H3K4me2 and H3K4me3 in parental HCT116 cells and HCT116 cells with Mll4∆set.
Project description:The COMPASS family catalyzes histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation and its members are essential for regulating developmental gene expression. MLL2/COMPASS methylates H3K4 on many genes but only a subset lose expression upon MLL2 loss. To understand MLL2 -dependent transcriptional regulation, we performed a CRISPR screen in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and found that MLL2 protects developmental genes from repression by repelling PRC2 and DNA methylation machineries from these loci. Repression in the absence of MLL2 is relieved by inhibition of PRC2 and DNA methyltransferases, demonstrating that prevention of active repression and not H3K4me3 underlies their transcriptional state. DNA demethylation on such loci leads to reactivation of MLL2-dependent genes not only by removing DNA methylation but also by opening up previously CpG methylated regions for PRC2 recruitment, diluting PRC2 at Polycomb-repressed genes. These findings reveal how the context and function of these three epigenetic modifiers can orchestrate transcriptional decisions.
Project description:TET1 maintains hypomethylation at bivalent promoters through its catalytic activity in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). However, whether and how TET1 exerts catalytic activity-independent functions in regulating bivalent genes is not well understood. Therefore, we mapped the TET1 interactome in mouse ESCs using a SILAC IP-MS proteomics approach.
Project description:In embryonic stem cells (ESCs), bivalency characterizes the chromatin state of developmental gene promoters, simultaneously modified by Mll2 and Polycomb complexes. Despite its essential role in embryogenesis, the function of bivalency is currently unclear. Here we show that Mll2 plays a central role in stem cell genome organization. We generate a catalog of bona-fide bivalent genes in mESCs and demonstrate that loss of Mll2 leads to increased Polycomb occupancy. Consequently, promoters lose accessibility and long-range interactions become redistributed, affecting ESC differentiation. We propose that bivalency balances accessibility and long-range connectivity of promoters to modulate developmental gene expression.