Project description:PRDM9 is a histone methyltransferase expressed in meiotic germ cells that determines the location of genetic recombination hotspots through binding of its allele-specific DNA binding domain. Here we characterize the genome-wide chromatin modification for two human PRDM9 alleles (A and C) in human cell lines. HEK293 cells were transfected with both alleles and an empty vector control. Resulting chromatin was subjected to H3K4me3 ChIP followed by high-throughput sequencing. We find that different PRDM9 allele largely modified chromatin in entirely different genomic regions in somatic cells determined by the protein's zinc-finger DNA binding domains. Many of the allele-specific peaks overlap sites of meiotic double-strand breaks found in vivo in human germ cells suggesting that transient expression of PRDM9 in somatic cells can reflect binding in vivo. Identify PRDM9-dependent H3K4me3 sites by comparing modified chromatin after expression of different human PRDM9 alleles in HEK293 cells.
Project description:PRDM9 is a histone methyltransferase expressed in meiotic germ cells that determines the location of genetic recombination hotspots through binding of its allele-specific DNA binding domain. Here we characterize the genome-wide chromatin modification for two human PRDM9 alleles (A and C) in human cell lines. HEK293 cells were transfected with both alleles and an empty vector control. Resulting chromatin was subjected to H3K4me3 ChIP followed by high-throughput sequencing. We find that different PRDM9 allele largely modified chromatin in entirely different genomic regions in somatic cells determined by the protein's zinc-finger DNA binding domains. Many of the allele-specific peaks overlap sites of meiotic double-strand breaks found in vivo in human germ cells suggesting that transient expression of PRDM9 in somatic cells can reflect binding in vivo.
Project description:Here we characterize the genome-wide chromatin modification by PRDM9, a histone H3 lysine 4 methyltransferase. In order to detect PRDM9 binding sites we created coisogenic strains of mice differing only in the zinc finger array of PRDM9. One strain is C57BL/6J, which carries the Prdm9Dom2 allele, the other strain was created using genomic replacement and named B6.PRDM9Cst (also called KI), and contains the Prdm9Cst allele originally found in CAST/EiJ mice. Many H3K4me3 positions are common between strains and represent other methyltransferase activity (such as promoters), sites that are unique to one mouse strain likely represent the binding position of that allele of PRDM9. Identify PRDM9-dependent H3K4me3 sites by comparing modified chromatin from mice coisogenic for Prdm9.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:PRDM9 specifies the sites of meiotic DNA double strand break that initiate meiotic recombination in mice and humans. PRDM9 is known to bind to specific DNA sequences with its DNA binding domain, to induce H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 to adjacent nucleosomes through its methyltransferase activity, and to recruit or activate the meiotic DSB machinery. To understand how PRDM9 executes these various steps, we set up to identify its partners. This was performed by a proteomic approach where protein extracts from mouse testis were immunoprecipitated with anti-PRDM9 antibody for mass spectrometry analysis.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Genetic recombination occurs during meiosis, the key developmental program of gametogenesis. Recombination in mammals has been recently linked to the activity of a histone H3 methyl-transferase, PRDM9, the product of the only known speciation gene in mammals. PRDM9 is thought to determine the preferred recombination sites - recombination hotspots - through sequence-specific binding of its highly polymorphic multi-Zn-finger domain. Nevertheless, Prdm9 knockout mice are proficient at initiating recombination. Here we map and analyze the genome-wide distribution of recombination initiation sites in Prdm9 knockout mice and in two mouse strains with different Prdm9 alleles and their F1 hybrid. We show that PRDM9 determines the positions of practically all hotspots in the mouse genome, with the remarkable exception of the pseudoautosomal region – the only area of the genome that undergoes recombination in 100% of cells. Surprisingly, hotspots are still observed in Prdm9 knockout mice and as in wild-type, these hotspots are found at H3K4 trimethylation marks. However, in the absence of PRDM9, the majority of recombination is initiated at promoters and at other sites of PRDM9-independent H3K4 trimethylation. Such sites are rarely targeted in wild-type mice indicating an unexpected role of the PRDM9 protein in sequestering the recombination machinery away from gene promoter regions and other functional genomic elements.