An RNA Endonuclease-Kinase Complex Required for Spreading and Epigenetic Inheritance of Heterochromatin
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PROVIDER: PRJNA591464 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:The highly conserved multienzyme Rix1-containing complex (hereafter referred to as the rixosome), is required for ribosomal RNA (rRNA) processing and also localizes to heterochromatin in fission yeast, but its role in heterochromatin formation is unknown. Here we report the isolation of separation of function mutations in subunits of the rixosome that abolish its physical association with Swi6/HP1 and localization to heterochromatin, but do not affect growth or rRNA processing. These mutations abolish the epigenetic inheritance of silencing and histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me), accumulate heterochromatic RNAs, and cannot spread H3K9me and silencing away from nucleation sites into an inserted transgene. We further show that the rixosome acts upstream of the conserved 5’-3’ exoribonuclease Dhp1/XRN2 to promote heterochromatic RNA degradation. These findings reveal a new RNA degradation pathway that specifically localizes to heterochromatin to degrade nascent transcripts and enable heterochromatin spreading and inheritance.
2020-06-08 | GSE140920 | GEO
Project description:Crucial mechanisms are required to restrict self-propagating heterochromatin spreading within defined boundaries and prevent euchromatic gene silencing. In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, the JmjC domain protein DNA METHYLATION MODULATOR-1 (DMM-1) prevents aberrant spreading of heterochromatin, but the molecular details remain unknown. Here, we revealed that DMM-1 is highly enriched in a well-defined 5-kb heterochromatin domain and constrained its aberrant spreading. Interestingly, aberrant spreading of the 5-kb heterochromatin domain observed in the dmm-1KO strain is accompanied by the sharp deposition of histone variant H2A.Z, and deletion of H2A.Z abolishes aberrant spreading of the 5-kb heterochromatin domain into adjacent euchromatin. Furthermore, lysine 56 of histone H3 is deacetylated at the expanded heterochromatin regions, and mimicking H3K56 acetylation with an H3K56Q mutation effectively blocks H2A.Z-mediated aberrant spreading of the 5-kb heterochromatin domain. More importantly, genome-wide analyses demonstrated the general roles of H3K56 deacetylation and H2A.Z deposition in aberrant spreading of heterochromatin. Altogether, our results illustrate a previously unappreciated regulatory process that mediates aberrant heterochromatin spreading.
2022-01-25 | GSE193075 | GEO
Project description:Domains of heterochromatin play important roles in the maintenance and regulation of eukaryotic genomes. However, the repressive nature of heterochromatin combined with its propensity to self-propagate necessitates the existence of robust mechanisms that limit heterochromatin spreading and thereby avoid silencing of expressed genes. A number of specific sequence elements have been found to serve as barriers to heterochromatin spreading; however, the mechanisms by which spreading is curtailed are generally not well understood. Here we uncover a role for PAF complex component Leo1 in regulating heterochromatin cis-spreading. A genetic screen revealed that loss of Leo1 results in spreading of heterochromatin across a centromeric (IRC) boundary element in fission yeast. Similar heterochromatin spreading was seen upon deletion of other components of the PAF complex, but not other factors involved in transcription-coupled chromatin modification, indicating a specific role for the PAF complex in heterochromatin regulation. Loss of Leo1 is associated with reduced levels of H4K16 acetylation at the boundary, while tethering of the H4K16 acetyltransferase Mst1 to boundary chromatin suppresses heterochromatin spreading in leo1? cells, suggesting that Leo1 antagonises heterochromatin spreading by facilitating H4K16 acetylation. Interestingly, Leo1 also regulates heterochromatin spreading independently of boundaries, and loss of Leo1 causes redistribution of heterochromatin, in particular resulting in substantial expansion of telomeric heterochromatin domains. The PAF complex is known to be an important regulator of transcription-related chromatin modifications; our findings reveal a previously undescribed role for this complex in global regulation of heterochromatin spreading in cis. 8 samples: input (whole cell extract) and IP from H3K9me2 ChIP in wild-type and leo1? cells, in duplicate
2015-05-22 | E-GEOD-61688 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Epigenetic inheritance of heterochromatin requires DNA sequence-independent propagation mechanisms, coupling to RNAi, or input from DNA sequence, but how DNA contributes to inheritance is not understood. Here, we identify a DNA element (termed “maintainer”) that is sufficient for epigenetic inheritance of preexisting histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me) and heterochromatin in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, but cannot establish de novo gene silencing in wild-type cells. This maintainer is a composite DNA element with binding sites for the Atf1/Pcr1 and Deb1 transcription factors and the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), located within a 130-base pair region, and can be converted to a silencer in cells with lower rates of H3K9me turnover, suggesting that it participates in recruiting the H3K9 methyltransferase Clr4/Suv39h. These results suggest that, in the absence of RNAi, histone H3K9me is only heritable when it can collaborate with maintainer-associated DNA-binding proteins that help recruit the enzyme responsible for its epigenetic deposition.
2022-10-14 | PXD027214 | Pride
Project description:Domains of heterochromatin play important roles in the maintenance and regulation of eukaryotic genomes. However, the repressive nature of heterochromatin combined with its propensity to self-propagate necessitates the existence of robust mechanisms that limit heterochromatin spreading and thereby avoid silencing of expressed genes. A number of specific sequence elements have been found to serve as barriers to heterochromatin spreading; however, the mechanisms by which spreading is curtailed are generally not well understood. Here we uncover a role for PAF complex component Leo1 in regulating heterochromatin cis-spreading. A genetic screen revealed that loss of Leo1 results in spreading of heterochromatin across a centromeric (IRC) boundary element in fission yeast. Similar heterochromatin spreading was seen upon deletion of other components of the PAF complex, but not other factors involved in transcription-coupled chromatin modification, indicating a specific role for the PAF complex in heterochromatin regulation. Loss of Leo1 is associated with reduced levels of H4K16 acetylation at the boundary, while tethering of the H4K16 acetyltransferase Mst1 to boundary chromatin suppresses heterochromatin spreading in leo1Δ cells, suggesting that Leo1 antagonises heterochromatin spreading by facilitating H4K16 acetylation. Interestingly, Leo1 also regulates heterochromatin spreading independently of boundaries, and loss of Leo1 causes redistribution of heterochromatin, in particular resulting in substantial expansion of telomeric heterochromatin domains. The PAF complex is known to be an important regulator of transcription-related chromatin modifications; our findings reveal a previously undescribed role for this complex in global regulation of heterochromatin spreading in cis.
2015-05-22 | GSE61688 | GEO
Project description:Heterochromatin, a highly compact chromatin state characterized by histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me) and HP1 protein binding, epigenetically silences the underlying DNA and influences the expression of neighboring genes. Therefore the sites of heterochromatin assembly and its subsequent spreading are generally precisely determined. Here we show that in fission yeast, the combined absence of anti-silencing factors Mst2 and Epe1 results in uncontrolled heterochromatin spreading and severe growth defects. Interestingly, these cells quickly recover by accumulating H3K9me at the clr4+ locus, which encodes the H3K9 methyltransferase essential for heterochromatin assembly, thereby leading to reduced expression of Clr4 to restrain heterochromatin spreading. Preventing H3K9me at the clr4+ locus resulted in the accumulation of H3K9me at the rik1+ locus, which encodes another component of the Clr4 complex essential for H3K9me. Our results demonstrate that promiscuous heterochromatin assembly enables fast adaptation in response to changes in chromatin landscape and illustrate a negative feedback mechanism by which cells counteract toxic heterochromatin accumulation.
2015-03-13 | GSE60521 | GEO
Project description:Heterochromatin spreading, the expansion of gene-silencing structures from DNA-encoded nucleation sites, occurs in distinct settings. Spreading re-establishes gene-poor constitutive heterochromatin every cell cycle, but also invades gene-rich euchromatin de novo to steer cell fate decisions. How chromatin context, i.e. euchromatic, heterochromatic, or different nucleator types, influences the determinants of this process remains poorly understood. Previously, we documented distinct behaviors of heterochromatin spreading in different contexts using a single-cell heterochromatin spreading sensor (Greenstein et al. 2018). In this work, building on this sensor system, we now genetically identify the factors that positively or negatively alter the propensity of a nucleation site to spread heterochromatin. We find that different chromatin contexts are dependent on unique sets of genes for the regulation of heterochromatin spreading. Further, we find that spreading in constitutive heterochromatin requires Clr6 histone deacetylase complexes containing the Fkh2 transcription factor, while the Clr3 deacetylase is globally required for silencing. Fkh2 acts by recruiting Clr6 to nucleation-distal chromatin sites. Our results segregate the pathways that control lateral heterochromatin spreading from those that instruct DNA-directed assembly in nucleation.
2021-09-24 | GSE184379 | GEO
Project description:Transposable elements have the potential to act as controlling elements to influence the expression of genes. The current paradigm suggests that heterochromatic silencing can spread beyond the borders of the transposable element and influence the chromatin state of neighboring low-copy sequences. This would allow transposable elements to condition obligatory or facilitated epialleles and act as controlling elements. The maize genome contains numerous families of class I transposable elements (retrotransposons) that are present in moderate to high copy numbers and many are found in regions near genes which provides an opportunity to test whether the spreading of heterochromatin from retrotransposons is prevalent. We have investigated the extent of heterochromatin spreading into flanking DNA around each family of retrotransposons through profiling of DNA methylation and di-methylation of lysine 9 of histone 3 (H3K9me2) in low-copy regions of the maize genome. The effects of different retrotransposon families on local chromatin are highly variable. Some LTR families exhibit enrichment of heterochromatic marks within 800-1200 base pairs of the insertion site while other families have very little evidence for spreading of heterochromatic marks. The analysis of chromatin state in genotypes that lack specific insertions suggests that the adjacent heterochromatin results from spreading of silencing rather than insertion-site preferences. Genes that are located near elements that exhibit spreading of heterochromatin tend to be expressed at lower levels than other genes. Our findings suggest that a subset of LTR retrotransposon families may act as controlling elements influencing neighboring sequences while the majority of elements have little effect on flanking sequences Transposable elements comprise a substantial portion of many eukaryotic genomes. These mobile fragments of DNA can result in mutations through insertions into genes but may also affect the regulation of genes they insert near. There is evidence that the majority of transposable elements are epigenetically silenced and in some cases this silencing may affect neighboring sequences. However, evolutionary theory would predict that there would be selective pressures for transposable elements to limit their effects on neighboring genes. The maize genome has a complex organization with many genes flanked by retrotransposons. We profiled the spread of heterochromatin from the retrotransposons into nearby low copy sequences for 150 high copy retrotransposon families. While the manymajority of retrotransposons exhibit little to no spreading of heterochromatin there are a small number ofsome retrotransposon families that influence the chromatin state of surrounding regions. The families may represent bad “neighbors” that spread heterochromatin and influence nearby genes. 6 total samples: 3 replicates of B73 H3k9 and 3 replicates of Mo17 H3k9 3 total samples: mop1 mutant, b73.zmet2 (zmet2.m1 mutant in B73 background) and mo17.zmet2 (zmet2.m1 mutant in Mo17 background)
2012-11-26 | E-GEOD-39460 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Heterochromatin formation requires several steps involving: nucleation followed by spreading of large, silent domains and its faithful re-establishment and maintenance after each replication cycle. The essential histone chaperone FACT has been implicated in heterochromatin silencing, however, little is known about the specificity of FACT in this process. Here, by applying single cell assays, ChIP and genetics, we show that FACT mutants have defects in the spreading of heterochromatin at subtelomeres and mating type locus in fission yeast. Further, we demonstrate that the transition of H3K9me2 to me3 is impaired in the FACT mutant and we link the spreading function of FACT to its role in histone turnover suppression. We also identify Epe1 as a specific factor that counteracts heterochromatin spreading defects in the FACT mutants. Together, our studies identify FACT as a first histone chaperone that promotes heterochromatin spreading and add to the current models on histone turnover in propagation of epigenetic marks.
2021-10-12 | GSE174641 | GEO
Project description:One key aspect of epigenetic inheritance is that chromatin structure can be stably inherited through generations even after removal of the initial signal that establishes such structure. In fission yeast, the RNA interference (RNAi) machinery is critical for the targeting of histone methyltransferase Clr4 to repetitive DNA elements to establish a large domain of heterochromatin marked with histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me). Subsequently during DNA replication, the deposition of parental histones containing H3K9me into daughter DNA strands is expected to recruit Clr4 to modify neighboring new histones, resulting in the inheritance of heterochromatin in both daughter cells. However, pericentric heterochromatin cannot be properly inherited in the absence of RNAi, suggesting the existence of mechanisms that counteract chromatin-based inheritance. Here we show that in the absence of certain components of the INO80 chromatin remodeling complex, pericentric heterochromatin can be properly inherited in RNAi mutants. The ability of INO80 to counter heterochromatin inheritance is attributed to one accessory subunit Iec5, which promotes histone turn over at heterochromatin regions, but has little effects on the ability of INO80 in regulating nucleosome positioning at heterochromatin, gene expression, or the DNA damage response. Slow histone turnover preserves parental histones at repeat regions to enhance epigenetic inheritance of heterochromatin not only in RNAi mutants but also in wild type cells. Our analyses identified a separation-of-function mutation of INO80 in regulating histone turnover at heterochromatin and demonstrate the important role of histone turnover in controlling heterochromatin inheritance and maintaining the proper heterochromatin landscape of the genome.
2020-11-18 | GSE150544 | GEO