Introduction of a DNA methyltransferase into Drosophila to probe chromatin structure in vivo

Chromosoma ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora R. Wines ◽  
Paul B. Talbert ◽  
Denise V. Clark ◽  
Steven Henikoff
Chromosoma ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora R. Wines ◽  
Paul B. Talbert ◽  
Denise V. Clark ◽  
Steven Henikoff

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6515-6521 ◽  
Author(s):  
J F Costello ◽  
B W Futscher ◽  
R A Kroes ◽  
R O Pieper

There is considerable interest in identifying factors responsible for expression of the O-6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene, as MGMT is a major determinant in the response of glioma cells to the chemotherapeutic agent 1,3 bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. Recently we have shown that MGMT expression is correlated in a direct, graded fashion with methylation in the body of the MGMT gene and in an inverse, graded fashion with promoter methylation in human glioma cell lines. To determine if promoter methylation is an important component of MGMT expression, this study addressed the complex interactions between methylation, chromatin structure, and in vivo transcription factor occupancy in the MGMT promoter of glioma cell lines with different levels of MGMT expression. Our results show that the basal promoter in MGMT-expressing glioma cell lines, which is 100% unmethylated, was very accessible to restriction enzymes at all sites tested, suggesting that this region may be nucleosome free. The basal promoter in glioma cells with minimal MGMT expression, however, which is 75% unmethylated, was much less accessible, and the basal promoter in nonexpressing cells, which is 50% unmethylated, was entirely inaccessible to restriction enzymes. Despite the presence of the relevant transcription factors in all cell lines examined, in vivo footprinting showed DNA-protein interactions at six Sp1 binding sites and one novel binding site in MGMT-expressing cell lines but no such interactions in nonexpressors. We conclude that in contrast to findings of previous in vitro studies, Sp1 is an important component of MGMT transcription. These correlations also strongly suggest that methylation and chromatin structure, by determining whether Sp1 and other transcription factors can access the MGMT promoter, set the transcriptional state of the MGMT gene.


Reproduction ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto S Oliveri ◽  
Mark Kalisz ◽  
Charlotte Karlskov Schjerling ◽  
Claus Yding Andersen ◽  
Rehannah Borup ◽  
...  

The mature mammalian metaphase II (MII) oocyte has a unique ability to reprogram sperm chromatin and support early embryonic development. This feature even extends to the epigenetic reprogramming of a terminally differentiated cell nucleus as observed in connection with somatic cell nuclear transfer. Epigenetic nuclear reprogramming is highly linked to chromatin structure and includes covalent modifications of DNA and core histone proteins as well as reorganization of higher-order chromatin structure. A group of conserved enzymes mediating DNA methylation, methyl-CpG-binding protein (MeCP), histone acetylation and methylation, and chromatin remodeling are extensively involved in epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian cells. Using the oligonucleotide microarray technique, the present study compared the expression levels of 86 genes associated with epigenetic reprogramming in murine in vivo matured MII oocytes with that of germinal vesicle oocytes. Correlation between biological replicates was high. A total of 57 genes with potential reprogramming effect were detected. In MII oocytes, four genes were significant up-regulated, whereas 18 were down-regulated and 35 unchanged. The significantly regulated genes were validated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. For example, MII oocytes showed a significant down-regulation of oocyte-specific maintenance DNA methyltransferase, Dnmt1o, and up-regulation of MeCP transcript, methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2. Furthermore, histone acetyltransferases were proportionally overrepresented when compared with histone deacetylases. These data elucidate for the first time some of the mechanisms that the oocyte may employ to reprogram a foreign genome either in form of a spermatozoa or a somatic nucleus and may thus be of importance for advancing the fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.


Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 150 (4) ◽  
pp. 1539-1549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Boivin ◽  
Jean-Maurice Dura

Abstract Gene silencing by heterochromatin is a well-known phenomenon that, in Drosophila, is called position effect variegation (PEV). The long-held hypothesis that this gene silencing is associated with an altered chromatin structure received direct support only recently. Another gene-silencing phenomenon in Drosophila, although similar in its phenotype of variegation, has been shown to be associated with euchromatic sequences and is dependent on developmental regulators of the Polycomb group (Pc-G) of gene products. One model proposes that the Pc-G products may cause a local heterochromatinization that maintains a repressed state of transcription of their target genes. Here, we test these models by measuring the accessibility of white or miniwhite sequences, in different contexts, to the Escherichia coli dam DNA methyltransferase in vivo. We present evidence that PEV and Pc-G-mediated repression mechanisms, although based on different protein factors, may indeed involve similar higher-order chromatin structure.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 8302-8319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpana Ghoshal ◽  
Jharna Datta ◽  
Sarmila Majumder ◽  
Shoumei Bai ◽  
Xiaocheng Dong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) synergistically activate the methylated metallothionein I gene (MT-I) promoter in mouse lymphosarcoma cells. The cooperative effect of these two classes of inhibitors on MT-I promoter activity was robust following demethylation of only a few CpG dinucleotides by brief exposure to 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) but persisted even after prolonged treatment with the nucleoside analog. HDAC inhibitors (trichostatin A [TSA] and depsipeptide) either alone or in combination with 5-AzaC did not facilitate demethylation of the MT-I promoter. Treatment of cells with HDAC inhibitors increased accumulation of multiply acetylated forms of H3 and H4 histones that remained unaffected after treatment with 5-AzaC. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed increased association of acetylated histone H4 and lysine 9 (K9)-acetyl H3 with the MT-I promoter after treatment with TSA, which was not affected following treatment with 5-AzaC. In contrast, the association of K9-methyl histone H3 with the MT-I promoter decreased significantly after treatment with 5-AzaC and TSA. ChIP assay with antibodies specific for methyl-CpG binding proteins (MBDs) demonstrated that only methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) was associated with the MT-I promoter, which was significantly enhanced after TSA treatment. Association of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) with the promoter decreased after treatment with TSA or 5-AzaC and was abolished after treatment with both inhibitors. Among the DNA methyltransferases, both Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a were associated with the MT-I promoter in the lymphosarcoma cells, and association of Dnmt1 decreased with time after treatment with 5-AzaC. Treatment of these cells with HDAC inhibitors also increased expression of the MTF-1 (metal transcription factor-1) gene as well as its DNA binding activity. In vivo genomic footprinting studies demonstrated increased occupancy of MTF-1 to metal response elements of the MT-I promoter after treatment with both inhibitors. Analysis of the promoter by mapping with restriction enzymes in vivo showed that the MT-I promoter attained a more open chromatin structure after combined treatment with 5-AzaC and TSA as opposed to treatment with either agent alone. These results implicate involvement of multifarious factors including modified histones, MBDs, and Dnmts in silencing the methylated MT-I promoter in lymphosarcoma cells. The synergistic activation of this promoter by these two types of inhibitors is due to demethylation of the promoter and altered association of different factors that leads to reorganization of the chromatin and the resultant increase in accessibility of the promoter to the activated transcription factor MTF-1.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6515-6521
Author(s):  
J F Costello ◽  
B W Futscher ◽  
R A Kroes ◽  
R O Pieper

There is considerable interest in identifying factors responsible for expression of the O-6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene, as MGMT is a major determinant in the response of glioma cells to the chemotherapeutic agent 1,3 bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. Recently we have shown that MGMT expression is correlated in a direct, graded fashion with methylation in the body of the MGMT gene and in an inverse, graded fashion with promoter methylation in human glioma cell lines. To determine if promoter methylation is an important component of MGMT expression, this study addressed the complex interactions between methylation, chromatin structure, and in vivo transcription factor occupancy in the MGMT promoter of glioma cell lines with different levels of MGMT expression. Our results show that the basal promoter in MGMT-expressing glioma cell lines, which is 100% unmethylated, was very accessible to restriction enzymes at all sites tested, suggesting that this region may be nucleosome free. The basal promoter in glioma cells with minimal MGMT expression, however, which is 75% unmethylated, was much less accessible, and the basal promoter in nonexpressing cells, which is 50% unmethylated, was entirely inaccessible to restriction enzymes. Despite the presence of the relevant transcription factors in all cell lines examined, in vivo footprinting showed DNA-protein interactions at six Sp1 binding sites and one novel binding site in MGMT-expressing cell lines but no such interactions in nonexpressors. We conclude that in contrast to findings of previous in vitro studies, Sp1 is an important component of MGMT transcription. These correlations also strongly suggest that methylation and chromatin structure, by determining whether Sp1 and other transcription factors can access the MGMT promoter, set the transcriptional state of the MGMT gene.


Author(s):  
Shih-Yu Lee ◽  
I-Chuan Yen ◽  
Jang-Chun Lin ◽  
Min-Chieh Chung ◽  
Wei-Hsiu Liu

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a deadly malignant brain tumor that is resistant to most clinical treatments. Novel therapeutic agents that are effective against GBM are required. Antrodia cinnamomea has shown antiproliferative effects in GBM cells. However, the exact mechanisms and bioactive components remain unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of 4-acetylantrocamol LT3 (4AALT3), a new ubiquinone from Antrodia cinnamomeamycelium, in vitro. U87 and U251 cell lines were treated with the indicated concentration of 4AALT3. Cell viability, cell colony-forming ability, migration, and the expression of proteins in well-known signaling pathways involved in the malignant properties of glioblastoma were then analyzed by CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and western blotting assays, respectively. We found that 4AALT3 significantly decreased cell viability, colony formation, and cell migration in both in vitro models. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Hippo/yes-associated protein (YAP), and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) pathways were suppressed by 4AALT3. Moreover, 4AALT3 decreased the level of DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and showed a synergistic effect with temozolomide. Our findings provide the basis for exploring the beneficial effect of 4AALT3 on GBM in vivo.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 7455-7465 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Lycan ◽  
G Mikesell ◽  
M Bunger ◽  
L Breeden

Swi4 and Swi6 form a complex which is required for Start-dependent activation of HO and for high-level expression of G1 cyclin genes CLN1 and CLN2. To identify other regulators of this pathway, we screened for dominant, recessive, conditional, and allele-specific suppressors of swi4 mutants. We isolated 16 recessive suppressors that define three genes, SSF1, SSF5, and SSF9 (suppressor of swi four). Mutations in all three genes bypass the requirement for both Swi4 and Swi6 for HO transcription and activate transcription from reporter genes lacking upstream activating sequences (UASs). SSF5 is allelic with SIN4 (TSF3), a gene implicated in global repression of transcription and chromatin structure, and SSF9 is likely to be a new global repressor of transcription. SSF1 is allelic with CDC68 (SPT16). cdc68 mutations have been shown to increase expression from defective promoters, while preventing transcription from other intact promoters, including CLN1 and CLN2. We find that CDC68 is a required activator of both SWI4 and SWI6, suggesting that CDC68's role at the CLN promoters may be indirect. The target of CDC68 within the SWI4 promoter is complex in that known activating elements (MluI cell cycle boxes) in the SWI4 promoter are required for CDC68 dependence but only within the context of the full-length promoter. This result suggests that there may be both a chromatin structure and a UAS-specific component to Cdc68 function at SWI4. We suggest that Cdc68 functions both in the assembly of repressive complexes that form on many intact promoters in vivo and in the relief of this repression during gene activation.


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