Project description:BRAHMA (BRM) is a conserved SWI/SNF-type chromatin remodeling ATPase implicated in many key nuclear events. Histone H3 Lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylases specifically remove the repressive histone mark, trimethylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3). Both proteins are thought to play active roles in regulating gene activities at the chromatin level, but their genome-wide coordination remains to be determined. In Arabidopsis thaliana, RELATIVE OF EARLY FLOWERING 6 (REF6, also known as JMJ12) is the first identified plant H3K27 demethylase. Here, genome-wide analyses revealed that REF6 targets to thousands of genes across the Arabidopsis genome and co-localizes with BRM at more than 1,000 genes, many of which are genes involved in response to various stimuli, especially plant hormones. Loss of REF6 activity results in decreased BRM occupancy at hundreds of BRM-REF6 co-targets, indicating that REF6 is required for the recruitment of BRM to chromatin. Further, REF6 targets to genomic loci that contains the CTCTGTTT motif in vivo
Project description:To identify SmcHD1 genome-wide occupancy relative to global level of DNA methylation, we generated anti-SmcHD1 antiserum and used it in chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. We used SH-SY5Y neurobalstoma cells treated with DNA demethylating agent 5azaC for 72 hours to induce global loss of DNA methylation. The protein level of maintenance DNA methyltransferase dnmt1 was significatly reduced upon 5azaC treatment. The 5azaC treated and non-treated cells were then used for chromatin immunoprecipitation.