Project description:BackgroundHistone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) represent a focal point of chromatin regulation. The genome-wide and locus-specific distribution and the presence of distinct histone PTMs is most commonly examined with the application of histone PTM-specific antibodies. In spite of their central role in chromatin research, polyclonal antibodies suffer from disadvantages like batch-to-batch variability and insufficient documentation of their quality and specificity.ResultsTo mitigate some of the pitfalls of using polyclonal antibodies against H3K4me3, we successfully validated the application of a recombinant TAF3 PHD domain as anti-H3K4me3 affinity reagent in peptide array, western blot and ChIP-like experiments coupled with qPCR and deep sequencing.ConclusionsThe successful addition of the TAF3 PHD domain to the growing catalog of recombinant affinity reagents for histone PTMs could help to improve the reproducibility, interpretation and cross-laboratory validation of chromatin data.
Project description:Chromatin remodeling and histone modifications are important for development and floral phase transition in plants. However, it is largely unknown whether and how these two epigenetic regulators coordinately regulate the important biological processes. Here, we identified three types of ISWI chromatin remodeling complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that ARID5, a subunit of a plant-specific ISWI complex, can regulate development and floral phase transition. The ARID-PHD dual domain cassette of ARID5 recognizes both the H3K4me3 histone mark and AT-rich DNA. We determined the ternary complex structure of the ARID5 ARID-PHD cassette with an H3K4me3 peptide and an AT-containing DNA. The H3K4me3 peptide is combinatorially recognized by the PHD and ARID domains, while the DNA is specifically recognized by the ARID domain. Both PHD and ARID domains are necessary for the association of ARID5 with chromatin. The results suggest that the dual recognition of AT-rich DNA and H3K4me3 by the ARID5 ARID-PHD cassette may facilitate the association of the ISWI complex with specific chromatin regions to regulate development and floral phase transition
Project description:Chromatin remodeling and histone modifications are important for development and floral phase transition in plants. However, it is largely unknown whether and how these two epigenetic regulators coordinately regulate the important biological processes. Here, we identified three types of ISWI chromatin remodeling complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that ARID5, a subunit of a plant-specific ISWI complex, can regulate development and floral phase transition. The ARID-PHD dual domain cassette of ARID5 recognizes both the H3K4me3 histone mark and AT-rich DNA. We determined the ternary complex structure of the ARID5 ARID-PHD cassette with an H3K4me3 peptide and an AT-containing DNA. The H3K4me3 peptide is combinatorially recognized by the PHD and ARID domains, while the DNA is specifically recognized by the ARID domain. Both PHD and ARID domains are necessary for the association of ARID5 with chromatin. The results suggest that the dual recognition of AT-rich DNA and H3K4me3 by the ARID5 ARID-PHD cassette may facilitate the association of the ISWI complex with specific chromatin regions to regulate development and floral phase transition
Project description:Histone modifications regulate chromatin-dependent processes, yet the mechanisms by which they contribute to specific outcomes remain unclear. H3K4me3 is a prominent histone mark that is associated with active genes and promotes transcription through interactions with effector proteins that include initiation factor TFIID. We demonstrate that H3K4me3-TAF3 interactions direct global TFIID recruitment to active genes, some of which are p53 targets. Further analyses show that (i) H3K4me3 enhances p53-dependent transcription by stimulating preinitiation complex (PIC) formation; (ii) H3K4me3, through TAF3 interactions, can act either independently or cooperatively with the TATA box to direct PIC formation and transcription; and (iii) H3K4me3-TAF3/TFIID interactions regulate gene-selective functions of p53 in response to genotoxic stress. Our findings indicate a mechanism by which H3K4me3 directs PIC assembly for the rapid induction of specific p53 target genes Examination of genome wide binding sites of TAF3 full length protein vs TAF3 PHD domain alone (Full vs PHD), with or without M880A mutation (WT vs mut) in mouse MEF cells using HITseq method (PNAS 2010, 107:3135-3140, PMID: 20133638)
Project description:Here we report the discovery of a set of potent de-novo cyclic peptides (CPs) targeting different binding sites on KDM7B. One CP (OC9) bound directly to the KDM7 PHD-finger, as supported by bio-layer interferometry (BLI), isothermal calorimetry (ITC), hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDxMS) and NMR studies, and was highly selective for KDM7s over other PHD-fingers. OC9 disrupted PHD-finger binding to H3K4me3, and allosterically modulated KDM7 demethylase activity at H3K9me2 site on peptides and histone extracts demonstrating PHD-finger targeting is as JmjC-domain targeted inhibitors, but more selective for specific KDM7 subfamily member and certain combinatorial histone PTM signatures. Proteomic analysis confirmed OC9 to selectively target KDM7 in nuclear lysates demonstrating its high affinity and selectivity against other H3K4me3 reader domains and KDMs.
Project description:Control of gene expression depends on a complex and delicate balance of various posttranslational modifications of histones. However, the relevance of specific combinations of histone modifications is not fully defined. Downstream effector proteins recognize particular histone modifications and transduce this information into gene expression patterns. Methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me) is a landmark of gene expression control in eukaryotes. Its recognition depends on the presence in the effector protein of a motif termed plant homeodomain (PHD) that specifically binds to H3K4me3. Here, we establish that Arabidopsis ORC1, the large subunit of the origin recognition complex involved in defining origins of DNA replication, functions as a transcriptional activator of a subset of genes, the promoters of which are preferentially bound by ORC1. Arabidopsis ORC1 contains a PHD and binds to H3K4me3. In addition to H4 acetylation, ORC1 binding correlates with increased H4K20me3 in the proximal promoter region of ORC1 targets. This suggests that H4K20me3, unlike in animal cells, is associated with transcriptional activation in Arabidopsis. Thus, our data provide a molecular basis for the opposite role of ORC1 in transcriptional activation in plants and repression in animals. Since only ORC1 proteins of plant species contain a PHD, we propose that plant ORC1 constitutes a novel class of H3K4me3 effector proteins characteristic of the plant kingdom.
Project description:Trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) is associated with transcriptional start sites and proposed to regulate transcription initiation. However, redundant functions of the H3K4 SET1/COMPASS methyltransferase complexes complicate elucidation of the specific role of H3K4me3 in transcriptional regulation. Here, by using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) as a model system, we show that acute ablation of shared subunits of the SET1/COMPASS complexes leads to complete loss of all H3K4 methylation. H3K4me3 turnover occurs more rapidly than H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 and is dependent on KDM5 demethylases. Surprisingly, acute loss of H3K4me3 does not have detectable effects on transcriptional initiation but leads to a widespread decrease in transcriptional output, an increase in RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) pausing and slower elongation. Notably, we show that H3K4me3 is required for the recruitment of the Integrator Complex Subunit 11 (INTS11), which is essential for the eviction of paused RNAPII and transcriptional elongation. Thus, our study demonstrates a distinct role for H3K4me3 in transcriptional pause-release and elongation rather than transcriptional initiation.
Project description:The NuA4 acetyltransferase complex contains two reader modules, an H3K4me3-specific PHD domain within the Yng2 subunit and H3K36me2/3-specific chromodomain in the Eaf3 subunit. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the role these two reader modules on NuA4 genome-wide localization, histone H4K8 acetylation and RNA polymerase II occupancy. We demonstrate here that Yng2 PHD specifically directs H4 acetylation near the transcription start site of highly expressed genes while Eaf3 is important downstream on the body of the genes. Strikingly, the recruitment of the NuA4 complex to these loci is not significantly affected. Furthermore, RNA polymerase II occupancy is decreased only in conditions where both PHD and chromo domains are lost, and mostly in the second half of the gene coding regions. Altogether, these results argue that methylated histone reader modules in NuA4 are not important for its recruitment on the promoter or coding regions but rather orient its acetyltransferase catalytic site to the methylated H3-bearing nucleosomes in the surrounding chromatin, allowing proper transcription initiation and elongation.