Project description:C. elegans nuclear pore protein NPP-13 associates with small RNA genes transcribed by RNA Polymerase III. To test if the nuclear pore-chromatin interactions play a role in large-scale chromatin organization, we determined nuclear membrane-genome interactions and RNA Polymerase II localization in C. elegans embryos depleted for NPP-13. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip for nuclear membrane protein LEM-2, RNA Polymerase II (AMA-1) and H3K4me3 were performed in mixed-stage C. elegans embryos depleted for NPP-13. As a control, ChIP was also performed in wild-type embryos treated with empty vector.
Project description:Nuclear pores associate with active protein-coding genes in yeast and have been implicated in transcriptional regulation. Here, we show that in addition to transcriptional regulation, key components of C. elegans nuclear pores are required for processing of a subset of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and tRNAs transcribed by RNA Polymerase (Pol) III. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of NPP-13 and NPP-3, two integral nuclear pore components, and importin-M-CM-^_ IMB-1, provides strong evidence that this requirement is direct. All three proteins associate specifically with tRNA and snoRNA genes undergoing Pol III transcription. These pore components bind immediately downstream of the Pol III pre-initiation complex, but are not required for Pol III recruitment. Instead, NPP-13 is required for cleavage of tRNA and snoRNA precursors into mature RNAs, whereas Pol II transcript processing occurs normally. Our data suggest that integral nuclear pore proteins act to coordinate transcription and processing of Pol III transcripts in C. elegans. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip were performed in mixed-stage C. elegans embryos for nuclear pore proteins NPP-13, NPP-3, IMB-1 and chromatin proteins Pol III (RPC-1), TBP-1, TFC-1 (SFC-1), TFC-4 (TAG-315), and Pol II (AMA-1). For RPC-1 and TBP-1 ChIP-seq, embryos depleted for NPP-13 were also used. Total RNAs from wild-type, NPP-13 RNAi, and IMB-1 RNAi embryos were analyzed by RNA-seq.
Project description:Nuclear pores associate with active protein-coding genes in yeast and have been implicated in transcriptional regulation. Here, we show that in addition to transcriptional regulation, key components of C. elegans nuclear pores are required for processing of a subset of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and tRNAs transcribed by RNA Polymerase (Pol) III. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of NPP-13 and NPP-3, two integral nuclear pore components, and importin-M-CM-^_ IMB-1, provides strong evidence that this requirement is direct. All three proteins associate specifically with tRNA and snoRNA genes undergoing Pol III transcription. These pore components bind immediately downstream of the Pol III pre-initiation complex, but are not required for Pol III recruitment. Instead, NPP-13 is required for cleavage of tRNA and snoRNA precursors into mature RNAs, whereas Pol II transcript processing occurs normally. Our data suggest that integral nuclear pore proteins act to coordinate transcription and processing of Pol III transcripts in C. elegans. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip were performed in mixed-stage C. elegans embryos for nuclear pore proteins NPP-13, NPP-3, IMB-1 and chromatin proteins Pol III (RPC-1), TBP-1, TFC-1 (SFC-1), TFC-4 (TAG-315), and Pol II (AMA-1). For RPC-1 and TBP-1 ChIP-seq, embryos depleted for NPP-13 were also used. Total RNAs from wild-type, NPP-13 RNAi, and IMB-1 RNAi embryos were analyzed by RNA-seq.
Project description:C. elegans nuclear pore protein NPP-13 associates with small RNA genes transcribed by RNA Polymerase III. To test if the nuclear pore-chromatin interactions play a role in large-scale chromatin organization, we determined nuclear membrane-genome interactions and RNA Polymerase II localization in C. elegans embryos depleted for NPP-13. Genome-wide ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip for nuclear membrane protein LEM-2, RNA Polymerase II (AMA-1) and H3K4me3 were performed in mixed-stage C. elegans embryos depleted for NPP-13. As a control, ChIP was also performed in wild-type embryos treated with empty vector.
Project description:Epigenetic modifications are thought to be important for gene expression changes during development and aging. However, besides the Sir2 histone deacetylase in somatic tissues and H3K4 trimethylation in germlines, there is scant evidence implicating epigenetic regulations in aging. The insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway is a major lifespan regulatory pathway. Here we show that progressive increases in gene expression and loss of H3K27me3 on IIS components are due, at least in part, to increased activity of the H3K27 demethylase UTX-1 during aging. RNAi of the utx-1 gene extended the mean lifespan of C. elegans by ~30%, dependent on DAF-16 activity and not additive in daf-2 mutants. The loss of utx-1 increased H3K27me3 on the Igf1r/daf-2 gene and decreased IIS activity leading to a more "naive" epigenetic state. Like stem cell reprogramming, our results suggest that reestablishing epigenetic marks lost during aging might help "reset" the developmental age of animal cells. Examination of H3K27me3 in young and old worms without or with Utx-1 RNAi.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series:; GSE9896: Expression data from wildtype and gas-1 mitochondrial mutant C. elegans; GSE9897: Expression data from 2 wildtype and 8 C. elegans ETC mutants Experiment Overall Design: Refer to individual Series
Project description:Utilizing C. elegans as a model of mitochondrial dysfunction provides insight into cellular adaptations which occur as a consequence of genetic alterations causative of human disease. We characterized genome-wide expression profiles of hypomorphic C. ele; Our goal was to detect concordant changes among clusters of genes that comprise defined metabolic pathways utilizing gene set enrichment analysis. Experiment Overall Design: 3 biological replicates of each C. elegans strain were used as sources of total RNA combined for hybridization to a single Affymetrix whole-genome microarray. Comparison of the data was intended to reveal metabolic pathways downstream of the mutation.
Project description:From a forward genetic screen for C. elegans genes required for RNAi, we identified rde-10 and through proteomic analysis of RDE-10-interacting proteins, we identified a protein complex containing the new RNAi factor RDE-11, the known RNAi factors RSD-2 and ERGO-1, as well as other candidate RNAi factors. The newly identified RNAi defective genes rde-10 and rde-11 encode a novel protein and a RING-type zinc finger domain protein, respectively. Mutations in rde-10 and rde-11 genes cause dosage-sensitive RNAi deficiencies: these mutants are resistant to low dosage, but sensitive to high dosage of double-stranded RNAs. We assessed the roles of rde-10, rde-11, and the dosage-sensitive RNAi defective genes rsd-2, rsd-6 and haf-6 in both exogenous and endogenous small RNA pathways using high-throughput sequencing and qRT-PCR. These genes are required for the accumulation of secondary siRNAs in both exogenous and endogenous RNAi pathways. Small RNA analysis by deep sequencing in various wild type and mutant C. elegans strains.
Project description:The essential process of dosage compensation equalizes X-chromosome gene expression between C. elegans XO males and XX hermaphrodites through a dosage compensation complex (DCC) that resembles condensin. The DCC binds to both X chromosomes of hermaphrodites to repress transcription by half. Here we show that post-translational modification by the SUMO conjugation pathway is essential for sex-specific assembly of the DCC onto X. Depletion of the SUMO peptide in vivo severely disrupts binding of particular DCC subunits and causes changes in X-linked gene expression similar to those caused by disrupting genes encoding DCC subunits. Three DCC subunits are themselves SUMOylated, and depletion of SUMO preferentially reduces their binding to X, suggesting that SUMOylation of DCC subunits is essential for robust association with X. DCC SUMOylation is triggered by the signal that initiates DCC assembly onto X. The initial step of assembly--binding of X-targeting factors to recruitment sites on X (rex sites)--is independent of SUMOylation, but robust binding of the complete complex requires SUMOylation. SUMOylated DCC subunits are enriched at rex sites, and SUMOylation enhances interactions between X-targeting factors and condensin subunits that facilitate DCC binding beyond the low level achieved without SUMOylation. DCC subunits also participate in condensin complexes essential for chromosome segregation, but their SUMOylation occurs only in the context of the DCC. Our results reinforce a newly emerging theme in which multiple proteins of a complex are SUMOylated in response to a specific stimulus, leading to accelerated complex formation and enhanced function. Total RNA was extracted from mixed stage embryos.