1. Nature. 2010 Dec 23;468(7327):1124-8. Transcriptional activation of polycomb-repressed genes by ZRF1. Richly H, Rocha-Viegas L, Ribeiro JD, Demajo S, Gundem G, Lopez-Bigas N, Nakagawa T, Rospert S, Ito T, Di Croce L. Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG)/UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Covalent modification of histones is fundamental in orchestrating chromatin dynamics and transcription. One example of such an epigenetic mark is the mono-ubiquitination of histones, which mainly occurs at histone H2A and H2B. Ubiquitination of histone H2A has been implicated in polycomb-mediated transcriptional silencing. However, the precise role of the ubiquitin mark during silencing is still elusive. Here we show in human cell lines that ZRF1 (zuotin-related factor 1) is specifically recruited to histone H2A when it is ubiquitinated at Lys 119 by means of a novel ubiquitin-interacting domain that is located in the evolutionarily conserved zuotin domain. At the onset of differentiation, ZRF1 specifically displaces polycomb-repressive complex 1 (PRC1) from chromatin and facilitates transcriptional activation. A genome-wide mapping of ZRF1, RING1B and H2A-ubiquitin targets revealed its involvement in the regulation of a large set of polycomb target genes, emphasizing the key role ZRF1 has in cell fate decisions. We provide here a model of the molecular mechanism of switching polycomb-repressed genes to an active state. PMID: 21179169 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 2. Nature. 2010 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print] Comprehensive analysis of the chromatin landscape in Drosophila melanogaster. Kharchenko PV, Alekseyenko AA, Schwartz YB, Minoda A, Riddle NC, Ernst J, Sabo PJ, Larschan E, Gorchakov AA, Gu T, Linder-Basso D, Plachetka A, Shanower G, Tolstorukov MY, Luquette LJ, Xi R, Jung YL, Park RW, Bishop EP, Canfield TP, Sandstrom R, Thurman RE, Macalpine DM, Stamatoyannopoulos JA, Kellis M, Elgin SC, Kuroda MI, Pirrotta V, Karpen GH, Park PJ. [1] Center for Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA [2] Children's Hospital Informatics Program, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. Chromatin is composed of DNA and a variety of modified histones and non-histone proteins, which have an impact on cell differentiation, gene regulation and other key cellular processes. Here we present a genome-wide chromatin landscape for Drosophila melanogaster based on eighteen histone modifications, summarized by nine prevalent combinatorial patterns. Integrative analysis with other data (non-histone chromatin proteins, DNase I hypersensitivity, GRO-Seq reads produced by engaged polymerase, short/long RNA products) reveals discrete characteristics of chromosomes, genes, regulatory elements and other functional domains. We find that active genes display distinct chromatin signatures that are correlated with disparate gene lengths, exon patterns, regulatory functions and genomic contexts. We also demonstrate a diversity of signatures among Polycomb targets that include a subset with paused polymerase. This systematic profiling and integrative analysis of chromatin signatures provides insights into how genomic elements are regulated, and will serve as a resource for future experimental investigations of genome structure and function. PMID: 21179089 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] 3. Nature. 2010 Dec 15. [Epub ahead of print] A unique chromatin signature uncovers early developmental enhancers in humans. Rada-Iglesias A, Bajpai R, Swigut T, Brugmann SA, Flynn RA, Wysocka J. Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. Cell-fate transitions involve the integration of genomic information encoded by regulatory elements, such as enhancers, with the cellular environment. However, identification of genomic sequences that control human embryonic development represents a formidable challenge. Here we show that in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), unique chromatin signatures identify two distinct classes of genomic elements, both of which are marked by the presence of chromatin regulators p300 and BRG1, monomethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me1), and low nucleosomal density. In addition, elements of the first class are distinguished by the acetylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27ac), overlap with previously characterized hESC enhancers, and are located proximally to genes expressed in hESCs and the epiblast. In contrast, elements of the second class, which we term 'poised enhancers', are distinguished by the absence of H3K27ac, enrichment of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), and are linked to genes inactive in hESCs and instead are involved in orchestrating early steps in embryogenesis, such as gastrulation, mesoderm formation and neurulation. Consistent with the poised identity, during differentiation of hESCs to neuroepithelium, a neuroectoderm-specific subset of poised enhancers acquires a chromatin signature associated with active enhancers. When assayed in zebrafish embryos, poised enhancers are able to direct cell-type and stage-specific expression characteristic of their proximal developmental gene, even in the absence of sequence conservation in the fish genome. Our data demonstrate that early developmental enhancers are epigenetically pre-marked in hESCs and indicate an unappreciated role of H3K27me3 at distal regulatory elements. Moreover, the wealth of new regulatory sequences identified here provides an invaluable resource for studies and isolation of transient, rare cell populations representing early stages of human embryogenesis. PMID: 21160473 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] 4. Science. 2011 Jan 7;331(6013):76-9. Epub 2010 Dec 2. Vernalization-mediated epigenetic silencing by a long intronic noncoding RNA. Heo JB, Sung S. Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, the University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA. Comment in: Science. 2011 Jan 7;331(6013):36-7. Vernalization is an environmentally-induced epigenetic switch in which winter cold triggers epigenetic silencing of floral repressors and thus provides competence to flower in spring. In Arabidopsis, winter cold triggers enrichment of tri-methylated histone H3 Lys(27) at chromatin of the floral repressor, FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), and results in epigenetically stable repression of FLC. This epigenetic change is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved repressive complex, polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Here, we show that a long intronic noncoding RNA [termed COLD ASSISTED INTRONIC NONCODING RNA (COLDAIR)] is required for the vernalization-mediated epigenetic repression of FLC. COLDAIR physically associates with a component of PRC2 and targets PRC2 to FLC. Our results show that COLDAIR is required for establishing stable repressive chromatin at FLC through its interaction with PRC2. PMID: 21127216 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 5. Nature. 2010 Oct 28;467(7319):1128-32. Epub 2010 Oct 17. Maternal mRNA deadenylation and decay by the piRNA pathway in the early Drosophila embryo. Rouget C, Papin C, Boureux A, Meunier AC, Franco B, Robine N, Lai EC, Pelisson A, Simonelig M. mRNA Regulation and Development, Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS UPR1142, 141 rue de la Cardonille, Cedex 5, 34396 Montpellier, France. Comment in: Nat Rev Genet. 2010 Dec;11(12):816. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2010 Dec;11(12):820. Piwi-associated RNAs (piRNAs), a specific class of 24- to 30-nucleotide-long RNAs produced by the Piwi-type of Argonaute proteins, have a specific germline function in repressing transposable elements. This repression is thought to involve heterochromatin formation and transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing. The piRNA pathway has other essential functions in germline stem cell maintenance and in maintaining germline DNA integrity. Here we uncover an unexpected function of the piRNA pathway in the decay of maternal messenger RNAs and in translational repression in the early embryo. A subset of maternal mRNAs is degraded in the embryo at the maternal-to-zygotic transition. In Drosophila, maternal mRNA degradation depends on the RNA-binding protein Smaug and the deadenylase CCR4, as well as the zygotic expression of a microRNA cluster. Using mRNA encoding the embryonic posterior morphogen Nanos (Nos) as a paradigm to study maternal mRNA decay, we found that CCR4-mediated deadenylation of nos depends on components of the piRNA pathway including piRNAs complementary to a specific region in the nos 3' untranslated region. Reduced deadenylation when piRNA-induced regulation is impaired correlates with nos mRNA stabilization and translational derepression in the embryo, resulting in head development defects. Aubergine, one of the Argonaute proteins in the piRNA pathway, is present in a complex with Smaug, CCR4, nos mRNA and piRNAs that target the nos 3' untranslated region, in the bulk of the embryo. We propose that piRNAs and their associated proteins act together with Smaug to recruit the CCR4 deadenylation complex to specific mRNAs, thus promoting their decay. Because the piRNAs involved in this regulation are produced from transposable elements, this identifies a direct developmental function for transposable elements in the regulation of gene expression. PMID: 20953170 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 6. Science. 2010 Oct 8;330(6001):239-43. Two histone marks establish the inner centromere and chromosome bi-orientation. Yamagishi Y, Honda T, Tanno Y, Watanabe Y. Laboratory of Chromosome Dynamics, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan. Comment in: Science. 2010 Oct 8;330(6001):183-4. For proper partitioning of chromosomes in mitosis, the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) including Aurora B and survivin must be localized at the center of paired kinetochores, at the site called the inner centromere. It is largely unknown what defines the inner centromere and how the CPC is targeted to this site. Here, we show that the phosphorylation of histone H3-threonine 3 (H3-pT3) mediated by Haspin cooperates with Bub1-mediated histone 2A-serine 121 (H2A-S121) phosphorylation in targeting the CPC to the inner centromere in fission yeast and human cells. H3-pT3 promotes nucleosome binding of survivin, whereas phosphorylated H2A-S121 facilitates the binding of shugoshin, the centromeric CPC adaptor. Haspin colocalizes with cohesin by associating with Pds5, whereas Bub1 localizes at kinetochores. Thus, the inner centromere is defined by intersection of two histone kinases. PMID: 20929775 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 7. Science. 2010 Oct 22;330(6003):496-9. Epub 2010 Sep 16. Impeding Xist expression from the active X chromosome improves mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer. Inoue K, Kohda T, Sugimoto M, Sado T, Ogonuki N, Matoba S, Shiura H, Ikeda R, Mochida K, Fujii T, Sawai K, Otte AP, Tian XC, Yang X, Ishino F, Abe K, Ogura A. BioResource Center, RIKEN, 305-0024 Tsukuba, Japan. Comment in: Cell Stem Cell. 2010 Nov 5;7(5):550-2. Cloning mammals by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is highly inefficient because of erroneous reprogramming of the donor genome. Reprogramming errors appear to arise randomly, but the nature of nonrandom, SCNT-specific errors remains elusive. We found that Xist, a noncoding RNA that inactivates one of the two X chromosomes in females, was ectopically expressed from the active X (Xa) chromosome in cloned mouse embryos of both sexes. Deletion of Xist on Xa showed normal global gene expression and resulted in about an eight- to ninefold increase in cloning efficiency. We also identified an Xist-independent mechanism that specifically down-regulated a subset of X-linked genes through somatic-type repressive histone blocks. Thus, we have identified nonrandom reprogramming errors in mouse cloning that can be altered to improve the efficiency of SCNT methods. PMID: 20847234 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 8. Science. 2010 Oct 8;330(6001):235-9. Epub 2010 Aug 12. Survivin reads phosphorylated histone H3 threonine 3 to activate the mitotic kinase Aurora B. Kelly AE, Ghenoiu C, Xue JZ, Zierhut C, Kimura H, Funabiki H. Laboratory of Chromosome and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA. akelly@rockefeller.edu Comment in: Science. 2010 Oct 8;330(6001):183-4. A hallmark of mitosis is the appearance of high levels of histone phosphorylation, yet the roles of these modifications remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that histone H3 phosphorylated at threonine 3 is directly recognized by an evolutionarily conserved binding pocket in the BIR domain of Survivin, which is a member of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC). This binding mediates recruitment of the CPC to chromosomes and the resulting activation of its kinase subunit Aurora B. Consistently, modulation of the kinase activity of Haspin, which phosphorylates H3T3, leads to defects in the Aurora B-dependent processes of spindle assembly and inhibition of nuclear reformation. These findings establish a direct cellular role for mitotic histone H3T3 phosphorylation, which is read and translated by the CPC to ensure accurate cell division. PMID: 20705815 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 9. Science. 2010 Aug 20;329(5994):917-23. Epub 2010 Jul 29. PTIP promotes chromatin changes critical for immunoglobulin class switch recombination. Daniel JA, Santos MA, Wang Z, Zang C, Schwab KR, Jankovic M, Filsuf D, Chen HT, Gazumyan A, Yamane A, Cho YW, Sun HW, Ge K, Peng W, Nussenzweig MC, Casellas R, Dressler GR, Zhao K, Nussenzweig A. Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Comment in: Science. 2010 Aug 20;329(5994):914-5. Programmed genetic rearrangements in lymphocytes require transcription at antigen receptor genes to promote accessibility for initiating double-strand break (DSB) formation critical for DNA recombination and repair. Here, we showed that activated B cells deficient in the PTIP component of the MLL3 (mixed-lineage leukemia 3)-MLL4 complex display impaired trimethylation of histone 3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and transcription initiation of downstream switch regions at the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (Igh) locus, leading to defective immunoglobulin class switching. We also showed that PTIP accumulation at DSBs contributes to class switch recombination (CSR) and genome stability independently of Igh switch transcription. These results demonstrate that PTIP promotes specific chromatin changes that control the accessibility of the Igh locus to CSR and suggest a nonredundant role for the MLL3-MLL4 complex in altering antibody effector function. PMCID: PMC3008398 [Available on 2011/2/1] PMID: 20671152 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 10. Nature. 2010 Aug 19;466(7309):987-91. Epub 2010 Jul 14. Regulation of heterochromatic DNA replication by histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferases. Jacob Y, Stroud H, Leblanc C, Feng S, Zhuo L, Caro E, Hassel C, Gutierrez C, Michaels SD, Jacobsen SE. Department of Biology, Indiana University, 915 East Third Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. Multiple pathways prevent DNA replication from occurring more than once per cell cycle. These pathways block re-replication by strictly controlling the activity of pre-replication complexes, which assemble at specific sites in the genome called origins. Here we show that mutations in the homologous histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) monomethyltransferases, ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX-RELATED PROTEIN5 (ATXR5) and ATXR6, lead to re-replication of specific genomic locations. Most of these locations correspond to transposons and other repetitive and silent elements of the Arabidopsis genome. These sites also correspond to high levels of H3K27 monomethylation, and mutation of the catalytic SET domain is sufficient to cause the re-replication defect. Mutation of ATXR5 and ATXR6 also causes upregulation of transposon expression and has pleiotropic effects on plant development. These results uncover a novel pathway that prevents over-replication of heterochromatin in Arabidopsis. PMCID: PMC2964344 [Available on 2011/2/1] PMID: 20631708 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 11. Nature. 2010 Jul 22;466(7305):503-7. Epub 2010 Jul 11. Histone H4K20/H3K9 demethylase PHF8 regulates zebrafish brain and craniofacial development. Qi HH, Sarkissian M, Hu GQ, Wang Z, Bhattacharjee A, Gordon DB, Gonzales M, Lan F, Ongusaha PP, Huarte M, Yaghi NK, Lim H, Garcia BA, Brizuela L, Zhao K, Roberts TM, Shi Y. Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) is a complex human disease that causes intellectual disability. Causal mutations have been found in approximately 90 X-linked genes; however, molecular and biological functions of many of these genetically defined XLMR genes remain unknown. PHF8 (PHD (plant homeo domain) finger protein 8) is a JmjC domain-containing protein and its mutations have been found in patients with XLMR and craniofacial deformities. Here we provide multiple lines of evidence establishing PHF8 as the first mono-methyl histone H4 lysine 20 (H4K20me1) demethylase, with additional activities towards histone H3K9me1 and me2. PHF8 is located around the transcription start sites (TSS) of approximately 7,000 RefSeq genes and in gene bodies and intergenic regions (non-TSS). PHF8 depletion resulted in upregulation of H4K20me1 and H3K9me1 at the TSS and H3K9me2 in the non-TSS sites, respectively, demonstrating differential substrate specificities at different target locations. PHF8 positively regulates gene expression, which is dependent on its H3K4me3-binding PHD and catalytic domains. Importantly, patient mutations significantly compromised PHF8 catalytic function. PHF8 regulates cell survival in the zebrafish brain and jaw development, thus providing a potentially relevant biological context for understanding the clinical symptoms associated with PHF8 patients. Lastly, genetic and molecular evidence supports a model whereby PHF8 regulates zebrafish neuronal cell survival and jaw development in part by directly regulating the expression of the homeodomain transcription factor MSX1/MSXB, which functions downstream of multiple signalling and developmental pathways. Our findings indicate that an imbalance of histone methylation dynamics has a critical role in XLMR. PMID: 20622853 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 12. Science. 2010 Aug 6;329(5992):689-93. Epub 2010 Jul 8. Long noncoding RNA as modular scaffold of histone modification complexes. Tsai MC, Manor O, Wan Y, Mosammaparast N, Wang JK, Lan F, Shi Y, Segal E, Chang HY. Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) regulate chromatin states and epigenetic inheritance. Here, we show that the lincRNA HOTAIR serves as a scaffold for at least two distinct histone modification complexes. A 5' domain of HOTAIR binds polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), whereas a 3' domain of HOTAIR binds the LSD1/CoREST/REST complex. The ability to tether two distinct complexes enables RNA-mediated assembly of PRC2 and LSD1 and coordinates targeting of PRC2 and LSD1 to chromatin for coupled histone H3 lysine 27 methylation and lysine 4 demethylation. Our results suggest that lincRNAs may serve as scaffolds by providing binding surfaces to assemble select histone modification enzymes, thereby specifying the pattern of histone modifications on target genes. PMCID: PMC2967777 PMID: 20616235 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 13. Nature. 2010 Jul 8;466(7303):253-7. Conserved role of intragenic DNA methylation in regulating alternative promoters. Maunakea AK, Nagarajan RP, Bilenky M, Ballinger TJ, D'Souza C, Fouse SD, Johnson BE, Hong C, Nielsen C, Zhao Y, Turecki G, Delaney A, Varhol R, Thiessen N, Shchors K, Heine VM, Rowitch DH, Xing X, Fiore C, Schillebeeckx M, Jones SJ, Haussler D, Marra MA, Hirst M, Wang T, Costello JF. Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, USA. Comment in: Nat Rev Genet. 2010 Sep;11(9):596. Although it is known that the methylation of DNA in 5' promoters suppresses gene expression, the role of DNA methylation in gene bodies is unclear. In mammals, tissue- and cell type-specific methylation is present in a small percentage of 5' CpG island (CGI) promoters, whereas a far greater proportion occurs across gene bodies, coinciding with highly conserved sequences. Tissue-specific intragenic methylation might reduce, or, paradoxically, enhance transcription elongation efficiency. Capped analysis of gene expression (CAGE) experiments also indicate that transcription commonly initiates within and between genes. To investigate the role of intragenic methylation, we generated a map of DNA methylation from the human brain encompassing 24.7 million of the 28 million CpG sites. From the dense, high-resolution coverage of CpG islands, the majority of methylated CpG islands were shown to be in intragenic and intergenic regions, whereas less than 3% of CpG islands in 5' promoters were methylated. The CpG islands in all three locations overlapped with RNA markers of transcription initiation, and unmethylated CpG islands also overlapped significantly with trimethylation of H3K4, a histone modification enriched at promoters. The general and CpG-island-specific patterns of methylation are conserved in mouse tissues. An in-depth investigation of the human SHANK3 locus and its mouse homologue demonstrated that this tissue-specific DNA methylation regulates intragenic promoter activity in vitro and in vivo. These methylation-regulated, alternative transcripts are expressed in a tissue- and cell type-specific manner, and are expressed differentially within a single cell type from distinct brain regions. These results support a major role for intragenic methylation in regulating cell context-specific alternative promoters in gene bodies. PMID: 20613842 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 14. Science. 2010 Jul 23;329(5990):439-43. Epub 2010 Jun 17. Integrative modeling defines the Nova splicing-regulatory network and its combinatorial controls. Zhang C, Frias MA, Mele A, Ruggiu M, Eom T, Marney CB, Wang H, Licatalosi DD, Fak JJ, Darnell RB. Laboratory of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. czhang@rockefeller.edu The control of RNA alternative splicing is critical for generating biological diversity. Despite emerging genome-wide technologies to study RNA complexity, reliable and comprehensive RNA-regulatory networks have not been defined. Here, we used Bayesian networks to probabilistically model diverse data sets and predict the target networks of specific regulators. We applied this strategy to identify approximately 700 alternative splicing events directly regulated by the neuron-specific factor Nova in the mouse brain, integrating RNA-binding data, splicing microarray data, Nova-binding motifs, and evolutionary signatures. The resulting integrative network revealed combinatorial regulation by Nova and the neuronal splicing factor Fox, interplay between phosphorylation and splicing, and potential links to neurologic disease. Thus, we have developed a general approach to understanding mammalian RNA regulation at the systems level. PMID: 20558669 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 15. Nature. 2010 Jul 15;466(7304):383-7. Epub 2010 Jun 16. Members of the H3K4 trimethylation complex regulate lifespan in a germline-dependent manner in C. elegans. Greer EL, Maures TJ, Hauswirth AG, Green EM, Leeman DS, Maro GS, Han S, Banko MR, Gozani O, Brunet A. Department of Genetics, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, USA. The plasticity of ageing suggests that longevity may be controlled epigenetically by specific alterations in chromatin state. The link between chromatin and ageing has mostly focused on histone deacetylation by the Sir2 family, but less is known about the role of other histone modifications in longevity. Histone methylation has a crucial role in development and in maintaining stem cell pluripotency in mammals. Regulators of histone methylation have been associated with ageing in worms and flies, but characterization of their role and mechanism of action has been limited. Here we identify the ASH-2 trithorax complex, which trimethylates histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4), as a regulator of lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans in a directed RNA interference (RNAi) screen in fertile worms. Deficiencies in members of the ASH-2 complex-ASH-2 itself, WDR-5 and the H3K4 methyltransferase SET-2-extend worm lifespan. Conversely, the H3K4 demethylase RBR-2 is required for normal lifespan, consistent with the idea that an excess of H3K4 trimethylation-a mark associated with active chromatin-is detrimental for longevity. Lifespan extension induced by ASH-2 complex deficiency requires the presence of an intact adult germline and the continuous production of mature eggs. ASH-2 and RBR-2 act in the germline, at least in part, to regulate lifespan and to control a set of genes involved in lifespan determination. These results indicate that the longevity of the soma is regulated by an H3K4 methyltransferase/demethylase complex acting in the C. elegans germline. PMID: 20555324 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 16. Nature. 2010 Jul 15;466(7304):388-92. Epub 2010 May 30. Relationship between nucleosome positioning and DNA methylation. Chodavarapu RK, Feng S, Bernatavichute YV, Chen PY, Stroud H, Yu Y, Hetzel JA, Kuo F, Kim J, Cokus SJ, Casero D, Bernal M, Huijser P, Clark AT, Krämer U, Merchant SS, Zhang X, Jacobsen SE, Pellegrini M. Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. Nucleosomes compact and regulate access to DNA in the nucleus, and are composed of approximately 147 bases of DNA wrapped around a histone octamer. Here we report a genome-wide nucleosome positioning analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana using massively parallel sequencing of mononucleosomes. By combining this data with profiles of DNA methylation at single base resolution, we identified 10-base periodicities in the DNA methylation status of nucleosome-bound DNA and found that nucleosomal DNA was more highly methylated than flanking DNA. These results indicate that nucleosome positioning influences DNA methylation patterning throughout the genome and that DNA methyltransferases preferentially target nucleosome-bound DNA. We also observed similar trends in human nucleosomal DNA, indicating that the relationships between nucleosomes and DNA methyltransferases are conserved. Finally, as has been observed in animals, nucleosomes were highly enriched on exons, and preferentially positioned at intron-exon and exon-intron boundaries. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) was also enriched on exons relative to introns, consistent with the hypothesis that nucleosome positioning regulates Pol II processivity. DNA methylation is also enriched on exons, consistent with the targeting of DNA methylation to nucleosomes, and suggesting a role for DNA methylation in exon definition. PMCID: PMC2964354 PMID: 20512117 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 17. Science. 2010 May 7;328(5979):753-6. Altered histone acetylation is associated with age-dependent memory impairment in mice. Peleg S, Sananbenesi F, Zovoilis A, Burkhardt S, Bahari-Javan S, Agis-Balboa RC, Cota P, Wittnam JL, Gogol-Doering A, Opitz L, Salinas-Riester G, Dettenhofer M, Kang H, Farinelli L, Chen W, Fischer A. Laboratory for Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute, Grisebach Str. 5, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany. Erratum in: Science. 2010 Jun 25;328(5986):1634. Comment in: Science. 2010 May 7;328(5979):701-2. As the human life span increases, the number of people suffering from cognitive decline is rising dramatically. The mechanisms underlying age-associated memory impairment are, however, not understood. Here we show that memory disturbances in the aging brain of the mouse are associated with altered hippocampal chromatin plasticity. During learning, aged mice display a specific deregulation of histone H4 lysine 12 (H4K12) acetylation and fail to initiate a hippocampal gene expression program associated with memory consolidation. Restoration of physiological H4K12 acetylation reinstates the expression of learning-induced genes and leads to the recovery of cognitive abilities. Our data suggest that deregulated H4K12 acetylation may represent an early biomarker of an impaired genome-environment interaction in the aging mouse brain. PMID: 20448184 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 18. Nature. 2010 Apr 15;464(7291):1082-6. CpG islands influence chromatin structure via the CpG-binding protein Cfp1. Thomson JP, Skene PJ, Selfridge J, Clouaire T, Guy J, Webb S, Kerr AR, Deaton A, Andrews R, James KD, Turner DJ, Illingworth R, Bird A. Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, Michael Swann Building, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK. CpG islands (CGIs) are prominent in the mammalian genome owing to their GC-rich base composition and high density of CpG dinucleotides. Most human gene promoters are embedded within CGIs that lack DNA methylation and coincide with sites of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3), irrespective of transcriptional activity. In spite of these intriguing correlations, the functional significance of non-methylated CGI sequences with respect to chromatin structure and transcription is unknown. By performing a search for proteins that are common to all CGIs, here we show high enrichment for Cfp1, which selectively binds to non-methylated CpGs in vitro. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of a mono-allelically methylated CGI confirmed that Cfp1 specifically associates with non-methylated CpG sites in vivo. High throughput sequencing of Cfp1-bound chromatin identified a notable concordance with non-methylated CGIs and sites of H3K4me3 in the mouse brain. Levels of H3K4me3 at CGIs were markedly reduced in Cfp1-depleted cells, consistent with the finding that Cfp1 associates with the H3K4 methyltransferase Setd1 (refs 7, 8). To test whether non-methylated CpG-dense sequences are sufficient to establish domains of H3K4me3, we analysed artificial CpG clusters that were integrated into the mouse genome. Despite the absence of promoters, the insertions recruited Cfp1 and created new peaks of H3K4me3. The data indicate that a primary function of non-methylated CGIs is to genetically influence the local chromatin modification state by interaction with Cfp1 and perhaps other CpG-binding proteins. PMID: 20393567 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 19. Nature. 2010 Mar 11;464(7286):306-10. JARID2 regulates binding of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 to target genes in ES cells. Pasini D, Cloos PA, Walfridsson J, Olsson L, Bukowski JP, Johansen JV, Bak M, Tommerup N, Rappsilber J, Helin K. Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. The Polycomb group (PcG) proteins have an important role in controlling the expression of genes essential for development, differentiation and maintenance of cell fates. The Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is believed to regulate transcriptional repression by catalysing the di- and tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me2/3). At present, it is unknown how the PcG proteins are recruited to their target promoters in mammalian cells. Here we show that PRC2 forms a stable complex with the Jumonji- and ARID-domain-containing protein, JARID2 (ref. 4). Using genome-wide location analysis, we show that JARID2 binds to more than 90% of previously mapped PcG target genes. Notably, we show that JARID2 is sufficient to recruit PcG proteins to a heterologous promoter, and that inhibition of JARID2 expression leads to a major loss of PcG binding and to a reduction of H3K27me3 levels on target genes. Consistent with an essential role for PcG proteins in early development, we demonstrate that JARID2 is required for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. Thus, these results demonstrate that JARID2 is essential for the binding of PcG proteins to target genes and, consistent with this, for the proper differentiation of embryonic stem cells and normal development. PMID: 20075857 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 20. Nature. 2010 Jan 21;463(7279):364-8. Epub 2009 Dec 13. HnRNP proteins controlled by c-Myc deregulate pyruvate kinase mRNA splicing in cancer. David CJ, Chen M, Assanah M, Canoll P, Manley JL. Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA. When oxygen is abundant, quiescent cells efficiently extract energy from glucose primarily by oxidative phosphorylation, whereas under the same conditions tumour cells consume glucose more avidly, converting it to lactate. This long-observed phenomenon is known as aerobic glycolysis, and is important for cell growth. Because aerobic glycolysis is only useful to growing cells, it is tightly regulated in a proliferation-linked manner. In mammals, this is partly achieved through control of pyruvate kinase isoform expression. The embryonic pyruvate kinase isoform, PKM2, is almost universally re-expressed in cancer, and promotes aerobic glycolysis, whereas the adult isoform, PKM1, promotes oxidative phosphorylation. These two isoforms result from mutually exclusive alternative splicing of the PKM pre-mRNA, reflecting inclusion of either exon 9 (PKM1) or exon 10 (PKM2). Here we show that three heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) proteins, polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB, also known as hnRNPI), hnRNPA1 and hnRNPA2, bind repressively to sequences flanking exon 9, resulting in exon 10 inclusion. We also demonstrate that the oncogenic transcription factor c-Myc upregulates transcription of PTB, hnRNPA1 and hnRNPA2, ensuring a high PKM2/PKM1 ratio. Establishing a relevance to cancer, we show that human gliomas overexpress c-Myc, PTB, hnRNPA1 and hnRNPA2 in a manner that correlates with PKM2 expression. Our results thus define a pathway that regulates an alternative splicing event required for tumour cell proliferation. PMCID: PMC2950088 PMID: 20010808 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]