Project description:Epialleles are meiotically inherited variations in expression states that are not linked to changes in DNA sequence. Although they are well documented to persist in plant genomes, their molecular origins are unknown. Here, we show using a variety of mutant and experimental populations that epialleles in Arabidopsis thaliana result from feedback regulation of pathways that primarily function to maintain DNA methylation at heterochromatin. Perturbations to maintenance of heterochromatin methylation leads to feedback regulation of DNA methylation in genes, with a preference for genes with pre-existing DNA methylation. Using epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRIL), we show that epiallelic variation is enriched in euchromatin, yet, associated with QTL primarily located in heterochromatin. Mapping three-dimensional chromatin contacts reveals that genes that are hotspots for epiallelic variation have increased contact frequencies with regions possessing H3K9me2. Altogether, these data show that feedback regulation of pathways that evolved to maintain heterochromatin silencing leads to the origins of spontaneous epialleles.
Project description:Epialleles are meiotically heritable variations in expression states that are independent from changes in DNA sequence. Although they are common in plant genomes, their molecular origins are unknown. Here we show, using mutant and experimental populations, that epialleles in Arabidopsis thaliana that result from ectopic hypermethylation are due to feedback regulation of pathways that primarily function to maintain DNA methylation at heterochromatin. Perturbations to maintenance of heterochromatin methylation leads to feedback regulation of DNA methylation in genes. Using single base resolution methylomes from epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRIL), we show that epiallelic variation is abundant in euchromatin, yet, associates with QTL primarily in heterochromatin regions. Mapping three-dimensional chromatin contacts shows that genes that are hotspots for ectopic hypermethylation have increases in contact frequencies with regions possessing H3K9me2. Altogether, these data show that feedback regulation of pathways that have evolved to maintain heterochromatin silencing leads to the origins of spontaneous hypermethylated epialleles.
Project description:Coordinated regulation of gene expression levels across a series of experimental conditions provides valuable information about the functions of correlated transcripts. To map gene regulatory pathways, we used microarray-derived gene expression measurements in 60 individuals of an F2 sample segregating for diabetes. We performed correlation analysis among ~40,000 expression traits. By combining correlation among expression traits and linkage mapping information, we were able to identify regulatory networks, make functional predictions to uncharacterized genes, and characterize novel members of known pathways. Using 36 seed traits, we found evidence of coordinate regulation of 160 G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) pathway expression traits. Of the 160 traits, 50 had their major LOD peak within 8 cM of a locus on chromosome 2, and 81 others had a secondary peak in this region. A previously uncharacterized Riken cDNA clone, which showed strong correlation with stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 expression, was experimentally validated to be responsive to conditions that regulate lipid metabolism. Using linkage mapping, we identified multiple genes whose expression is under the control of transcription regulatory loci. Trait-correlation combined with linkage mapping can reveal regulatory networks that would otherwise be missed if we only studied mRNA traits with statistically significant linkages in this small cross. The combined analysis is more sensitive compared with linkage mapping only. References: Kendziorski C., M. Chen, M. Yuan, H. Lan, and A.D. Attie. Statistical Methods for Expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) Mapping. Biometrics, to appear, 2005. Lan H, Chen M, Flowers JB, Yandell BS, Stapleton DS, et al. (2006) Combined Expression Trait Correlations and Expression Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping. PLoS Genet 2(1): e6. Keywords: Genetics of gene expression
Project description:Heterochromatin is a specialized form of chromatin that restricts access to DNA and inhibits genetic processes, including transcription and recombination. In Neurospora crassa, constitutive heterochromatin is characterized by trimethylation of lysine 9 on histone H3, hypoacetylation of histones, and DNA methylation. Here we explore whether the conserved histone demethylase, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), regulates heterochromatin in Neurospora, and if so, how. Though LSD1 is implicated in heterochromatin regulation, its function is inconsistent across different systems; orthologs of LSD1 have been shown to either promote or antagonize heterochromatin expansion by removing H3K4me or H3K9me respectively. We identify three members of the Neurospora LSD complex (LSDC): LSD1, PHF1, and BDP-1, and strains deficient for any exhibit variable spreading of heterochromatin and establishment of new heterochromatin domains dispersed across the genome. Heterochromatin establishment outside of canonical domains in Neurospora share the unusual characteristic of DNA methylation-dependent H3K9me3; typically, H3K9me3 establishment is independent of DNA methylation. Consistent with this, the hyper-H3K9me3 phenotype of LSD1 knock-out strains is dependent on the presence of DNA methylation, as well as HCHC-mediated histone deacetylation, suggesting spreading is dependent on some feedback mechanism. Altogether, our results suggest LSD1 works in opposition to HCHC to maintain proper heterochromatin boundaries.
Project description:In the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena, de novo heterochromatin body formation is accompanied by programmed DNA elimination. Here, we show that the novel heterochromatin body component Jub1p promotes heterochromatin body formation and dephosphorylation of the Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1)-like protein Pdd1p. Through the identification and mutagenesis of the phosphorylated residues of Pdd1p, we demonstrate that Pdd1p dephosphorylation promotes the electrostatic interaction between Pdd1p and RNA in vitro and heterochromatin body formation in vivo. We therefore suggest that heterochromatin bodies are assembled by the Pdd1p-RNA interaction. Jub1p and Pdd1p dephosphorylation are required for heterochromatin body formation and DNA elimination but not for local heterochromatin assembly, indicating that heterochromatin body of itself plays an essential role in DNA elimination. Micronuclei (MICs) and new macronuclei (MACs) of exconjugants were isolated from different mutants at 36 hpm, and the genomic DNA was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing.
Project description:This data originates from an expression quantitative trait locus analysis of liver in an advanced intercross of Red Jungefowl and White Leghorn chickens. The aim of the study was to map the genetic basis of growth traits and transcript abundance traits in the liver, and use the latter to search for candidate causative genes for chicken growth.
Project description:This data originates from an expression quantitative trait locus analysis of cerebrum in an advanced intercross of Red Jungefowl and White Leghorn chickens. The aim of the study was to map the genetic basis of cerebrum and body mass, and idenifiy transcriptional differences within the intercross to assess any candidate genes for cerebrum and body mass.
Project description:Plants bearing a sulfurea epiallele (TAB2sulf) were crossed with nrpe1 (largest polV subunit) mutants in Solanum Lycopersicum. 7 plants of a F3 progeny expected to be 100% TAB2sulf and segregating for the nrpe1 mutation were sequenced. 4 plants bear the nrpe1 mutation and 3 plants have NRPE1 WT alleles. The aim of the experiment was to compare sRNA accumulation between nrpe1 and WT F3 plants with particular interest on SlTAB2 (Solyc02g005200) which has been previously associated with paramutation in the sulfurea background. Both WT and nrpe1 F3 plants had methylation levels consistent with the TAB2sulf epiallele. nrpe1 and sulfurea parental controls are added in single replicates and a WT cv M82 plant is also sequenced as control. More replicates of WT and M82 are sequenced in a related experiment.
Project description:Plants bearing a sulfurea epiallele (TAB2sulf) were crossed with cmt3 mutants in Solanum Lycopersicum. 6 plants of a F2 progeny segregating both for TAB2sulf and cmt3 mutation were sequenced. 4 plants bear the cmt3 mutation and 2 plants have CMT3 WT alleles. the aim of the experiment was to compare sRNA accumulation between cmt3 and WT plants with particular interest on SlTAB2 (Solyc02g005200) which has been previously associated with paramutation in the sulfurea background. The WT plants had methylation levels consistent with the TAB2sulf epiallele and the cmt3 plants had methylation levels consistent with TAB2+ (low DNA methylation). cmt3 and sulfurea parental controls are added in single replicates and a WT cv M82 plant is also sequenced as control. More replicates of WT and M82 are sequenced in a related experiment.
Project description:A large portion of the mammalian genome is assembled into constitutive heterochromatin which is highly compact and transcriptionally silent throughout the cell cycle. On the molecular level it is characterized by DNA methylation, “repressive” histone marks (hypoacethylation, H3K9 trimethylation, H4K20 trimethylation) and the presence of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). Regions of constitutive heterochromatin such as telomeres, pericentromeres and centromeres play a critical role in the maintenance of the genome integrity. Using a technique called Proteomics of Isolated Chromatin Segments (PICh) we have identified SMCHD1 as a novel component of telomeres and pericentomeres. SMCHD1 was previously shown to be involved in the inactivaction of the X chromosome and imprinting, but the its exact role in these processes is not understood. Our study aims to unravel the role of SMCHD1 in the formation and/or maintenance of constitutive chromatin. Using human cancer cells as research model we are trying to discover its mechanism of action by identifying its interacting partners, characterizing its genome wide binding sites and characterizing the effect of SMCHD1 knockout on the heterochromatin function. Characterization of SMCHD1 binding sites in HCT-116 cells.