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DRM complex mutant lin-54 vs. H3K36 methyltransferase mutant mes-4 vs. lin-54; mes-4 double mutant vs. wild type C.elegans germline

ABSTRACT: Here we uncover antagonistic regulation of transcript levels in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. The histone methyltransferase MES-4 marks genes expressed in the germline with methylated Lys36 on histone H3 (H3K36me) and promotes their transcription; MES-4 also represses genes normally expressed in somatic cells and genes on the X chromosomes. The DRM complex, which includes E2F/DP and Retinoblastoma homologs, affects germline gene expression and prevents excessive repression of X-chromosome genes. Using genome-scale analyses of germline tissue, we show that common germline-expressed genes are activated by MES-4 and repressed by DRM, and that MES-4 and DRM co-bind many germline-expressed genes. Reciprocally, MES-4 represses and DRM activates a set of autosomal soma-expressed genes and overall X-chromosome gene expression. Mutations in mes-4 or the DRM subunit lin-54 oppositely skew target transcript levels and cause sterility; a double mutant restores near wild-type transcript levels and germ cell development. Together, “yin-yang” regulation by MES-4 and DRM ensures transcript levels appropriate for germ cell function, elicits robust but not excessive dampening of X-chromosome-wide transcription, and may poise genes for future expression changes. Our study reveals that conserved transcriptional regulators implicated in development and cancer counteract each other to fine-tune transcript dosage.

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

PROVIDER: GSE52064 | GEO | 2013/11/05

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA226608

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:DRM is a conserved transcription factor complex that includes E2F/DP and pRB family proteins and plays important roles in development and cancer. Here we perform microarray expression profiling analysis of lin-54, a DNA-binding member of the DRM complex. To identify genes regulated by LIN-54 in soma and germline, we analyzed wild-type and lin-54 mutant C. elegans embryos and isolated germlines. We chose embryos because they consist primarily of somatic cells, at a developmental stage with both active cell divisions and dynamic developmental gene expression programs. Since lin-54 null animals are sterile, embryos were obtained from a strain carrying the partial loss-of-function allele lin-54(n2990). Germlines were dissected from lin-54(n3423) null adults that lack detectable transcript and protein. The results revealed conserved roles for DRM in regulating genes involved in cell division, development, and reproduction. We find LIN-54 promotes expression of reproduction genes in the germline, but prevents ectopic activation of germline-specific genes in embryonic soma. Strikingly, genomics and cytological analyses show that DRM binding, a DRM binding motif, and LIN-54-regulated genes are all autosome-enriched. One paradoxical exception occurs the germline, where DRM binds autosomes but genes down-regulated in DRM mutants are enriched on X chromosomes. We compared embryonic or germline gene expression profile of lin-54 mutants with that of wild-type N2 C. elegans. Embryos were obtained from a strain carrying the partial loss-of-function allele lin-54(n2990) grown at 25C for one generation. Germlines were isolated from lin-54(n3423) null adults that lack detectable lin-54 transcript and protein. We isolated the germline region from the tip until late pachytene stage of meiosis, because nuclei in this region are morphologically similar between wild-type and mutant and are all undergoing X chromosome silencing. 3 biological replicates of each genotype/tissue were examined.

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DRM complex mutant lin-54 vs. H3K36 methyltransferase mutant mes-4 vs. lin-54; mes-4 double mutant vs. wild type C.elegans germline

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