Project description:Purpose: Construction of 3D zebrafish spatial transcriptomics data for studying the establishment of AP axis. Methods: We performed serial bulk RNA-seq data of zebrafish embryo at three development points. Using the published spatial transcriptomics data as references, we implemented Palette to infer spatial gene expression from bulk RNA-seq data and constructed 3D embryonic spatial transcriptomics. The constructed 3D transcriptomics data was then projected on zebrafish embryo images with 3D coordinates, establishing a spatial gene expression atlas named Danio rerio Asymmetrical Maps (DreAM). Results: DreAM provides a powerful platform for visualizing gene expression patterns on zebrafish morphology and investigating spatial cell-cell interactions. Conclusions: Our work used DreAM to explore the establishment of anteroposterior (AP) axis, and identified multiple morphogen gradients that played essential roles in determining cell AP positions. Finally, we difined a hox score, and comprehensively demonstrated the spatial collinearity of Hox genes at single-cell resolution during development.
Project description:The incorporation of histone H3 variants has been implicated in the epigenetic memory of cellular state. Using genome editing with zinc finger nucleases to tag endogenous H3.3, we report genome-wide profiles of H3 variants in mammalian embryonic stem (ES) cells and neuronal precursor cells. Genome-wide patterns of H3.3 are dependent on amino acid sequence, and change with cellular differentiation at developmentally regulated loci. The H3.3 chaperone Hira is required for H3.3 enrichment at active and repressed genes. Strikingly, Hira is not essential for localization of H3.3 at telomeres and many transcription factor binding sites. Immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry reveal that the proteins Atrx and Daxx associate with H3.3 in a Hira-independent manner. Atrx is required for Hira-independent localization of H3.3 at telomeres, and for the repression of telomeric RNA. Our data demonstrate that multiple and distinct factors are responsible for H3.3 localization at specific genomic locations in mammalian cells. Crosslinking ChIP-seq: Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3), 2 histone modifications, and Serine-5 phosphorylated RNA polymerase in 2 different cell types (H3.3-HA ES samples 1-4, and H3.3-HA NPC samples 7-10). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.2), and one histone modification (H3K36me3) in 2 different cell types (H3.2-HA ES samples 5-6, and H3.2-HA NPC samples 11-12). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3), input control, and one histone modification (H3K36me3) in one cell type (H3.3-HA hybrid ES, samples 13-15). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.1S31), input control, and one histone modification (H3K36me3) in one cell type (H3.1S31-HA hybrid ES, samples 16-18). Native ChIP-seq: Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3), input control, and one histone modification (H3K4me3) in one cell type (H3.3-HA ES, samples 19-21). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.2), input control, and two histone modifications (H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) in one cell type (H3.2-HA ES, samples 22-25). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3), input control, and two histone modifications (H3K4me1 and H3K36me3) in one cell type (H3.3-EYFP ES, samples 26-29). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3), input control, and two histone modifications (H3K4me1 and H3K36me3) in one cell type (Hira -/- H3.3-EYFP ES, samples 30-33). Examination of 1 histone variant (H3.3) and input control in one cell type (Atrxflox H3.3-EYFP ES, samples 34-37). Examination of HA antibody background in one cell type (wild-type ES, sample 38).
Project description:We report high-throughput profiling of transgenic histone H3.3 in zebrafish cardiomyocytes. The replacement histone H3.3 is deposited at sites of nucleosome turnover including regions of active chromatin. We profile H3.3 in uninjured cardiomyocytes, those undergoing regeneration 14 days after genetic ablation and those proliferating 7 days after Nrg1 stimulated hyperplasia. This study provides a framework for understanding chromatin transitions during adult models of regeneration.
Project description:We developed a system to study the DNA replication-independent turnover nucleosomes containing the histone variant H3.3 in mammalian cells. By measuring the genome-wide incorporation of H3.3 at different time points following epitope-tagged H3.3 expression, we find three categories of H3.3-nucleosome turnover in vivo: rapid turnover, intermediate turnover and, specifically at telomeres, slow turnover. Our data indicate that H3.3-containing nucleosomes at enhancers and promoters undergo a rapid turnover that is associated with active histone modification marks including H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K27ac and the histone variant H2A.Z. The rate of turnover is negatively correlated with H3K27me3 at regulatory regions and with H3K36me3 at gene bodies. Examination of incorporation dynamics of histone variant H3.3
Project description:Nucleosomes are the principal packaging units of chromatin and critical for gene regulation and genome stability. In mammals, a subset of nucleosomes fail to be replaced by protamines during spermatogenesis and are retained in mature spermatozoa providing opportunities for paternal epigenetic transmission. In humans, the remaining 10% localize at regulatory elements of genes. To assess evolutionary conservation and to dissect the molecular logic underlying nucleosome retention, we determined the genome wide nucleosome occupancy in mouse spermatozoa that only contain 1% residual histones. In striking contrast to mammalian somatic cells and haploid round spermatids, we observe high enrichment of nucleosomes at CpG-rich sequences throughout the genome, at conserved regulatory sequences as well as at intra- and intergenic regions and repetitive DNA. This preferred occupancy occurs mutually exclusive with DNA methylation both in mouse and human sperm. At unmethylated CpG-rich sequences, residing nucleosomes are largely composed of the H3.3 histone variant, and trimethylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Both canonical H3.1/H3.2 and H3.3 variant histones are present at promoters marked by Polycomb-mediated H3K27me3, which is strongly predictive for gene repression in pre-implantation embryos. Our data indicate important roles of DNA sequence composition, DNA methylation, variant H3.3 and canonical H3.1/H3.2 histones and associated modifications in nucleosome retention versus eviction during the histone-to-protamine remodeling process in elongating spermatids and potentially in epigenetic inheritance by nucleosomes between generations. Identification of histone, histone variant and histone modification states in round spermatids and sperm