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Enhancers of the PAIR4 regulatory module promote distal VH gene recombination at the Igh locus

ABSTRACT: While extended loop extrusion across the entire Igh locus controls VH-DJH recombination, local regulatory sequences, such as the PAIR elements, may also activate VH gene recombination in pro-B-cells. Here we show that PAIR-associated VH8 genes contain a conserved putative regulatory element (V8E) in their downstream sequences. To investigate the function of PAIR4 and its V8.7E, we deleted 890 kb containing all 14 PAIRs in the Igh 5' region, which reduced distal VH gene recombination over a 100-kb distance on either side of the deletion. Reconstitution by insertion of PAIR4-V8.7E strongly activated distal VH gene recombination. PAIR4 alone resulted in lower induction of recombination, indicating that PAIR4 and V8.7E function as one regulatory unit. The pro-B-cell-specific activity of PAIR4 depends on CTCF, as mutation of its CTCF-binding site led to sustained PAIR4 activity in pre-B and immature B-cells and to PAIR4 activation in T-cells. Notably, insertion of V8.8E was sufficient to activate VH gene recombination. Hence, enhancers of the PAIR4-V8.7E module and V8.8E element activate distal VH gene recombination and thus contribute to the diversification of the BCR repertoire in the context of loop extrusion.

SUBMITTER: Prof. Meinrad Busslinger

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_15252-EMBJ_2022112741 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Non-coding sense and antisense germline transcription within the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus precedes V(D)J recombination and has been proposed to be associated with Igh locus accessibility, although its precise role remains elusive. However, no global analysis of germline transcription throughout the Igh locus has been done. Therefore, we performed directional RNAseq, demonstrating the locations and extent of both sense and antisense transcription throughout the Igh locus. Surprisingly, the majority of antisense transcripts are localized around two PAIR elements in the distal IghV region. Importantly, long-distance loops measured by 3C are observed between these two active PAIR promoters and Eμ, the start site of Iμ germline transcription, in a lineage- and stage-specific manner, even though this antisense transcription is Eμ-independent. YY1-/- pro-B cells are greatly impaired in distal VH gene rearrangement and Igh locus compaction, and we demonstrate that YY1 deficiency greatly reduces antisense transcription and PAIR-Eμ interactions. ChIP-seq shows high level YY1 binding only at Eμ, but low levels near some antisense promoters. PAIR-Eμ interactions are not disrupted by DRB, which blocks transcription elongation without disrupting transcription factories once they are established, but the looping is reduced after heat shock treatment, which disrupts transcription factories. We propose that transcription-mediated interactions, most likely at transcription factories, initially compact the Igh locus, bringing distal VH genes close to the DJH rearrangement, which is adjacent to Eμ. Therefore, we hypothesize that one key role of non-coding germline transcription is to facilitate locus compaction, allowing distal VH genes to undergo efficient rearrangement. In order to determine the amount and location of sense and antisense non-coding RNA in the Igh locus, we prepared total RNA from CD19+ RAG1-/- pro-B cells. Samples were either pre-enriched in custom Agilent arrays, or directly sequenced. Data from one sample for each condition is included as reflected in the publication.

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Enhancers of the PAIR4 regulatory module promote distal VH gene recombination at the Igh locus

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