Project description:The lysine methyltransferase SETDB1, an enzyme responsible for methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9, plays a key role in H3K9 tri-methylation dependent silencing of endogenous retroviruses and developmental genes. Recent studies have shown that ubiquitination of human SETDB1 complements its catalytic activity and the silencing of endogenous retroviruses in human embryonic stem cells. However, it is not known whether SETDB1 ubiquitination is essential for its other major role in epigenetic silencing of developmental gene programs. We previously showed that SETDB1 contributes to the formation of H3K4/H3K9me3 bivalent chromatin domains that keep adipogenic Cebpa and Pparg genes in a poised state for activation and restricts the differentiation potential of pre-adipocytes. Here, we show that ubiquitin resistant K885A mutant of SETDB1 represses adipogenic genes and inhibits preadipocyte differentiation similar to wild-type SETDB1. We show this was due to a compensation mechanism for H3K9me3 chromatin modifications on the Cebpa locus by other H3K9 methyltransferases Suv39H1 and Suv39H2. In contrast, the K885A mutant did not repress other SETDB1 target genes such as Tril and Gas6 suggesting SETDB1 represses its target genes by two mechanisms; one that requires its ubiquitination and another that still requires SETDB1 but not its enzyme activity.
Project description:Genome stability relies on epigenetic mechanisms that enforce repression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Current evidence suggests that distinct chromatin-based mechanisms repress ERVs in cells of embryonic origin (histone methylation-dominant) versus more differentiated cells (DNA methylation-dominant). However, the latter aspect of this model has not been tested. Remarkably, and in contrast to the prevailing model, we find that repressive histone methylation catalyzed by the enzyme SETDB1 is critical for suppression of specific ERV families and exogenous retroviruses in committed B-lineage cells from adult mice. The profile of ERV activation in SETDB1-deficient B cells is distinct from that observed in corresponding embryonic tissues, despite the loss of repressive chromatin modifications at all ERVs. We provide evidence that, upon loss of SETDB1, ERVs are activated in a lineage-specific manner depending on the set of transcription factors available to target proviral regulatory elements. These findings have important implications for genome stability in somatic cells, as well as the interface between epigenetic repression and viral latency. Expression profiling and bisulfite PCR sequencing in Setdb1 C/C and Setdb1 D/D pro-B cells
Project description:Genome stability relies on epigenetic mechanisms that enforce repression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Current evidence suggests that distinct chromatin-based mechanisms repress ERVs in cells of embryonic origin (histone methylation-dominant) versus more differentiated cells (DNA methylation-dominant). However, the latter aspect of this model has not been tested. Remarkably, and in contrast to the prevailing model, we find that repressive histone methylation catalyzed by the enzyme SETDB1 is critical for suppression of specific ERV families and exogenous retroviruses in committed B-lineage cells from adult mice. The profile of ERV activation in SETDB1-deficient B cells is distinct from that observed in corresponding embryonic tissues, despite the loss of repressive chromatin modifications at all ERVs. We provide evidence that, upon loss of SETDB1, ERVs are activated in a lineage-specific manner depending on the set of transcription factors available to target proviral regulatory elements. These findings have important implications for genome stability in somatic cells, as well as the interface between epigenetic repression and viral latency.
Project description:Genome stability relies on epigenetic mechanisms that enforce repression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Current evidence suggests that distinct chromatin-based mechanisms repress ERVs in cells of embryonic origin (histone methylation-dominant) versus more differentiated cells (DNA methylation-dominant). However, the latter aspect of this model has not been tested. Remarkably, and in contrast to the prevailing model, we find that repressive histone methylation catalyzed by the enzyme SETDB1 is critical for suppression of specific ERV families and exogenous retroviruses in committed B-lineage cells from adult mice. The profile of ERV activation in SETDB1-deficient B cells is distinct from that observed in corresponding embryonic tissues, despite the loss of repressive chromatin modifications at all ERVs. We provide evidence that, upon loss of SETDB1, ERVs are activated in a lineage-specific manner depending on the set of transcription factors available to target proviral regulatory elements. These findings have important implications for genome stability in somatic cells, as well as the interface between epigenetic repression and viral latency.
Project description:The histone variant H3.3 is incorporated in a replication-independent manner at heterochromatic regions by the ATRX-DAXX histone chaperone complex. Here, we present a high-resolution x-ray crystal structure of an interaction surface between ATRX and DAXX. We used single amino acid substitutions in DAXX that abrogate formation of the complex to explore ATRX-dependent and -independent functions of DAXX. We found that the repression of specific murine endogenous retroviruses is dependent on DAXX, but not on ATRX. In support, we reveal the existence of two biochemically distinct DAXX-containing complexes: The ATRX-DAXX complex involved in gene repression and telomere chromatin structure, and a DAXX-SETDB1-KAP1-HDAC1 complex that represses endogenous retroviruses independently of ATRX and H3.3 incorporation into chromatin. We found that histone H3.3 stabilizes DAXX protein levels and affects DAXX-regulated genes independently of its incorporation into nucleosomes. Our findings represent the first description of a nucleosome-independent function for the H3.3 histone variant.
Project description:Subsets of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are derepressed in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) deficient for Setdb1, which catalyzes histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). Most of those ERVs, including IAPs, remain silent if Setdb1 is deleted in differentiated embryonic cells; however they are derepressed when deficient for Dnmt1, suggesting that Setdb1 is dispensable for ERV silencing in somatic cells. However, H3K9me3 enrichment on ERVs is maintained in differentiated cells and is mostly diminished in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking Setdb1. We find that distinctive sets of ERVs are reactivated in different types of Setdb1-deficient somatic cells, including the VL30-class of ERVs in MEFs, whose derepression is dependent on cell type-specific transcription factors (TFs). These data suggest a more general role for Setdb1 in ERV silencing, which provides an additional layer of epigenetic silencing through the H3K9me3 modification.
Project description:Transcription of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) is inhibited by de novo DNA methylation during gametogenesis, a process initiated after birth in oocytes and at ~E15.5 in prospermatogonia. Earlier in germline development however, the genome, including most retrotransposons, is progressively demethylated, with young ERVK and ERV1 elements retaining intermediate methylation levels. As DNA methylation reaches a low point in E13.5 primordial germ cells (PGCs) of both sexes, we determined whether retrotransposons are marked by H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 using a recently developed low input ChIP-seq method. Although these repressive histone modifications are predominantly found on distinct genomic regions in E13.5 PGCs, they concurrently mark partially methylated LTRs and LINE1 elements. Germline-specific conditional knock-out (KO) of the H3K9 methyltransferase SETDB1 yields a decrease of both histone marks and DNA methylation at H3K9me3 enriched retrotransposon families. Strikingly, Setdb1-KO E13.5 PGCs show concomitant de-repression of many marked ERVs, including IAP, ETn and ERVK10C elements and ERV-proximal genes, a subset in a sex-dependent manner. Furthermore, Setdb1 deficiency is associated with a reduced number of male PGCs and postnatal hypogonadism in both sexes. Taken together, these observations reveal that SETDB1 is an essential guardian against proviral expression prior to the onset of de novo DNA methylation in the germline. H3K9me3, H3K27me3 and expression profiles in Setdb1 WT, Het and KO male and female E13.5 PGCs.