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Yu V, Yong F, Marta A, et al., 2024, Differential CpG methylation at Nnat in the early establishment of beta cell heterogeneity, Diabetologia, ISSN: 0012-186X
Aims/hypothesis: Beta cells within the pancreatic islet represent a heterogenous population wherein individual sub-groups of cells make distinct contributions to the overall control of insulin secretion. These include a subpopulation of highly-connected ‘hub’ cells, important for the propagation of intercellular Ca2+ waves. Functional subpopulations have also been demonstrated in human beta cells, with an altered subtype distribution apparent in type 2 diabetes. At present, the molecular mechanisms through which beta cell hierarchy is established are poorly understood. Changes at the level of the epigenome provide one such possibility which we explore here by focussing on the imprinted gene neuronatin (Nnat), which is required for normal insulin synthesis and secretion.Methods: Single cell RNA-seq datasets were examined using Seurat 4.0 and ClusterProfiler running under R. Transgenic mice expressing eGFP under the control of the Nnat enhancer/promoter regions were generated for fluorescence-activated cell (FAC) sorting of beta cells and downstream analysis of CpG methylation by bisulphite and RNA sequencing, respectively. Animals deleted for the de novo methyltransferase, DNMT3A from the pancreatic progenitor stage were used to explore control of promoter methylation. Proteomics was performed using affinity purification mass spectrometry and Ca2+ dynamics explored by rapid confocal imaging of Cal-520 and Cal-590. Insulin secretion was measured using Homogeneous Time Resolved Fluorescence Imaging.Results: Nnat mRNA was differentially expressed in a discrete beta cell population in a developmental stage- and DNA methylation (DNMT3A)-dependent manner. Thus, pseudo-time analysis of embryonic data sets demonstrated the early establishment of Nnat-positive and negative subpopulations during embryogenesis. NNAT expression is also restricted to a subset of beta cells across the human islet that is maintained throughout adult life. NNAT+ beta cells also displayed
Stewart-Morgan KR, Requena CE, Flury V, et al., 2023, Quantifying propagation of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation with iDEMS, NATURE CELL BIOLOGY, ISSN: 1465-7392
Huang T-C, Wang Y-F, Vazquez-Ferrer E, et al., 2021, Sex-specific chromatin remodelling safeguards transcription in germ cells, Nature, Vol: 600, Pages: 737-742, ISSN: 0028-0836
Stability of the epigenetic landscape underpins maintenance of the cell-type-specific transcriptional profile. As one of the main repressive epigenetic systems, DNA methylation has been shown to be important for long-term gene silencing; its loss leads to ectopic and aberrant transcription in differentiated cells and cancer1. The developing mouse germ line endures global changes in DNA methylation in the absence of widespread transcriptional activation. Here, using an ultra-low-input native chromatin immunoprecipitation approach, we show that following DNA demethylation the gonadal primordial germ cells undergo remodelling of repressive histone modifications, resulting in a sex-specific signature in mice. We further demonstrate that Polycomb has a central role in transcriptional control in the newly hypomethylated germline genome as the genetic loss of Ezh2 leads to aberrant transcriptional activation, retrotransposon derepression and dramatic loss of developing female germ cells. This sex-specific effect of Ezh2 deletion is explained by the distinct landscape of repressive modifications observed in male and female germ cells. Overall, our study provides insight into the dynamic interplay between repressive chromatin modifications in the context of a developmental reprogramming system.
Zhu Q, Sang F, Withey S, et al., 2021, Specification and epigenomic resetting of the pig germline exhibit conservation with the human lineage, CELL REPORTS, Vol: 34, ISSN: 2211-1247
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Yu C, Cvetesic N, Hisler V, et al., 2020, TBPL2/TFIIA complex establishes the maternal transcriptome through oocyte-specific promoter usage, Nature Communications, Vol: 11, ISSN: 2041-1723
During oocyte growth, transcription is required to create RNA and protein reserves to achieve maternal competence. During this period, the general transcription factor TATA binding protein (TBP) is replaced by its paralogue, TBPL2 (TBP2 or TRF3), which is essential for RNA polymerase II transcription. We show that in oocytes TBPL2 does not assemble into a canonical TFIID complex. Our transcript analyses demonstrate that TBPL2 mediates transcription of oocyte-expressed genes, including mRNA survey genes, as well as specific endogenous retroviral elements. Transcription start site (TSS) mapping indicates that TBPL2 has a strong preference for TATA-like motif in core promoters driving sharp TSS selection, in contrast with canonical TBP/TFIID-driven TATA-less promoters that have broader TSS architecture. Thus, we show a role for the TBPL2/TFIIA complex in the establishment of the oocyte transcriptome by using a specific TSS recognition code.
Cvetesic N, Borkowska M, Hatanaka Y, et al., 2020, Global regulatory transitions at core promoters demarcate the mammalian germline cycle
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Core promoters integrate regulatory inputs of genes<jats:sup>1–3</jats:sup>. Global dynamics of promoter usage can reveal systemic changes in how genomic sequence is interpreted by the cell<jats:sup>4</jats:sup> Here we report the first analysis of promoter dynamics and code switching in the mammalian germ line, characterising the full cycle of transitions from embryonic stem cells through germline, oogenesis, and zygotic genome activation. Using Super Low Input Carrier-CAGE<jats:sup>5,6</jats:sup> (SLIC-CAGE) we show that mouse germline development starts with the somatic promoter code, followed by a prominent switch to the maternal code during follicular oogenesis. The sequence features underlying the shift from somatic to maternal code are conserved across vertebrates, despite large differences in promoter nucleotide compositions. In addition, we show that, prior to this major shift, the promoters of gonadal germ cells diverge from the canonical somatic transcription initiation. This divergence is distinct from the promoter code used later by developing oocytes and reveals genome-wide promoter remodelling associated with alternative nucleosome positioning during early female and male germline development. Collectively, our findings establish promoter-level regulatory transitions as a central, conserved feature of the vertebrate life cycle.</jats:p>
Zhu Q, Sang F, Withey S, et al., 2020, Specification and epigenetic resetting of the pig germline exhibit conservation with the human lineage
<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p>Investigations on the human germline and programming are challenging due to limited access to embryonic material. However, the pig as a model may provide insight on transcriptional network and epigenetic reprogramming applicable to both species. Here we show that during the pre- and early migratory stages pig primordial germ cells (PGCs) initiate large-scale epigenetic reprogramming, including DNA demethylation involving TET-mediated hydroxylation and potentially base excision repair (BER). There is also macroH2A1 depletion and increased H3K27me3, as well as X chromosome reactivation (XCR) in females. Concomitantly, there is dampening of glycolytic metabolism genes and re-expression of some pluripotency genes like those in preimplantation embryos. We identified evolutionarily young transposable elements and gene coding regions resistant to DNA demethylation in acutely hypomethylated gonadal PGCs, with potential for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Detailed insights into the pig germline will likely contribute significantly to advances in human germline biology, including<jats:italic>in vitro</jats:italic>gametogenesis.</jats:p>
Yu C, Cvetesic N, Hisler V, et al., 2020, TBPL2/TFIIA complex establishes the maternal transcriptome by an oocyte-specific promoter usage
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>During oocyte growth, transcription is required to create RNA and protein reserves to achieve maternal competence. During this period, the general transcription factor TATA binding protein (TBP) is replaced by its paralogue, TBPL2 (TBP2 or TRF3), which is essential for RNA polymerase II transcription. We show that in oocytes TBPL2 does not assemble into a canonical TFIID complex. Our transcript analyses demonstrate that TBPL2 mediates transcription of oocyte-expressed genes, including mRNA survey genes, as well as specific endogenous retroviral elements. Transcription start site (TSS) mapping indicates that TBPL2 has a strong preference for TATA-like motif in core promoters driving sharp TSS selection, in contrast with canonical TBP/TFIID-driven TATA-less promoters that have broader TSS architecture. Thus, we show a role for the TBPL2/TFIIA complex in the establishment of the oocyte transcriptome by using a specific TSS recognition code.</jats:p>
Catania S, Dumesic PA, Pimentel H, et al., 2020, Evolutionary persistence of DNA methylation for millions of years after ancient loss of a de Novo methyltransferase, Cell, Vol: 180, Pages: 263-277.e20, ISSN: 0092-8674
Cytosine methylation of DNA is a widespread modification of DNA that plays numerous critical roles. In the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, CG methylation occurs in transposon-rich repeats and requires the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt5. We show that Dnmt5 displays exquisite maintenance-type specificity in vitro and in vivo and utilizes similar in vivo cofactors as the metazoan maintenance methylase Dnmt1. Remarkably, phylogenetic and functional analysis revealed that the ancestral species lost the gene for a de novo methylase, DnmtX, between 50–150 mya. We examined how methylation has persisted since the ancient loss of DnmtX. Experimental and comparative studies reveal efficient replication of methylation patterns in C. neoformans, rare stochastic methylation loss and gain events, and the action of natural selection. We propose that an epigenome has been propagated for >50 million years through a process analogous to Darwinian evolution of the genome.
Gillberg L, Orskov AD, Nasif A, et al., 2019, Oral vitamin C supplementation to patients with myeloid cancer on azacitidine treatment: Normalization of plasma vitamin C induces epigenetic changes, Clinical Epigenetics, Vol: 11, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 1868-7083
BackgroundPatients with haematological malignancies are often vitamin C deficient, and vitamin C is essential for the TET-induced conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), the first step in active DNA demethylation. Here, we investigate whether oral vitamin C supplementation can correct vitamin C deficiency and affect the 5hmC/5mC ratio in patients with myeloid cancers treated with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTis).ResultsWe conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot trial (NCT02877277) in Danish patients with myeloid cancers performed during 3 cycles of DNMTi-treatment (5-azacytidine, 100 mg/m2/d for 5 days in 28-day cycles) supplemented by oral dose of 500 mg vitamin C (n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) daily during the last 2 cycles. Fourteen patients (70%) were deficient in plasma vitamin C (< 23 μM) and four of the remaining six patients were taking vitamin supplements at inclusion. Global DNA methylation was significantly higher in patients with severe vitamin C deficiency (< 11.4 μM; 4.997 vs 4.656% 5mC relative to deoxyguanosine, 95% CI [0.126, 0.556], P = 0.004). Oral supplementation restored plasma vitamin C levels to the normal range in all patients in the vitamin C arm (mean increase 34.85 ± 7.94 μM, P = 0.0004). We show for the first time that global 5hmC/5mC levels were significantly increased in mononuclear myeloid cells from patients receiving oral vitamin C compared to placebo (0.037% vs − 0.029%, 95% CI [− 0.129, − 0.003], P = 0.041).ConclusionsNormalization of plasma vitamin C by oral supplementation leads to an increase in the 5hmC/5mC ratio compared to placebo-treated patients and may enhance the biological effects of DNMTis. The clinical efficacy of oral vitamin C supplemen
Carrillo-Jimenez A, Deniz Ö, Niklison-Chirou MV, et al., 2019, TET2 regulates the neuroinflammatory response in microglia, Cell Reports, Vol: 29, Pages: 697-713.e8, ISSN: 2211-1247
Epigenomic mechanisms regulate distinct aspects of the inflammatory response in immune cells. Despite the central role for microglia in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, little is known about their epigenomic regulation of the inflammatory response. Here, we show that Ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) methylcytosine dioxygenase expression is increased in microglia upon stimulation with various inflammogens through a NF-κB-dependent pathway. We found that TET2 regulates early gene transcriptional changes, leading to early metabolic alterations, as well as a later inflammatory response independently of its enzymatic activity. We further show that TET2 regulates the proinflammatory response in microglia of mice intraperitoneally injected with LPS. We observed that microglia associated with amyloid β plaques expressed TET2 in brain tissue from individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in 5xFAD mice. Collectively, our findings show that TET2 plays an important role in the microglial inflammatory response and suggest TET2 as a potential target to combat neurodegenerative brain disorders.
Dukatz M, Requena CE, Emperle M, et al., 2019, Mechanistic insights into Cytosine-N3 Methylation by DNA Methyltransferase DNMT3A, Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol: 431, Pages: 3139-3145, ISSN: 0022-2836
Recently, it has been discovered that different DNA-(cytosine C5)-methyltransferases including DNMT3A generate low levels of 3mC [Rosic et al. (2018), Nat. Genet., 50, 452-459]. This reaction resulted in the co-evolution of DNMTs and ALKB2 DNA repair enzymes, but its mechanism remained elusive. Here, we investigated the catalytic mechanism of DNMT3A for cytosine N3 methylation. We generated several DNMT3A variants with mutated catalytic residues and measured their activities in 5mC and 3mC generation by liquid chromatography linked to tandem mass spectrometry. Our data suggest that the methylation of N3 instead of C5 is caused by an inverted binding of the flipped cytosine target base into the active-site pocket of the DNA methyltransferase, which is partially compatible with the arrangement of catalytic amino acid residues. Given that all DNA-(cytosine C5)-methyltransferases have a common catalytic mechanism, it is likely that other enzymes of this class generate 3mC following the same mechanism.
Carrillo-Jimenez A, Deniz Ö, Niklison-Chirou MV, et al., 2019, TET2 regulates the neuroinflammatory response in microglia
<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p>Epigenetic mechanisms regulate distinct aspects of the inflammatory response in various immune cell types. Despite the central role for microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration little is known about their epigenetic regulation of the inflammatory response. Here, we show that Ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) methylcytosine dioxygenase expression is increased in microglia upon stimulation with various inflammogens through a NF-κB-dependent pathway. We found that TET2 regulates early gene transcriptional changes that lead to early metabolic alterations, as well as a later inflammatory response independently of its 5mC oxidation activity at the affected genes. We further show that TET2 regulates the proinflammatory response in microglia induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS<jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic>. We observed that microglia associated to amyloid β plaques, recently defined as disease-associated microglia, expressed TET2 in brain tissue from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and in 5×FAD mice. Collectively, our findings show that TET2 plays an important role in the microglial inflammatory response, and suggest TET2 as a potential target to combat neurodegenerative brain disorders.</jats:p>
Cvetesic N, Leitch HG, Borkowska M, et al., 2018, SLIC-CAGE: high-resolution transcription start site mapping using nanogram-levels of total RNA, Genome Research, Vol: 28, Pages: 1943-1956, ISSN: 1088-9051
Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) is a methodology for genome-wide quantitative mapping of mRNA 5′ ends to precisely capture transcription start sites at a single nucleotide resolution. In combination with high-throughput sequencing, CAGE has revolutionized our understanding of rules of transcription initiation, led to discovery of new core promoter sequence features and discovered transcription initiation at enhancers genome-wide. The biggest limitation of CAGE is that even the most recently improved version (nAnT-iCAGE) still requires large amounts of total cellular RNA (5 micrograms), preventing its application to scarce biological samples such as those from early embryonic development or rare cell types. Here, we present SLIC-CAGE, a Super-Low Input Carrier-CAGE approach to capture 5′ ends of RNA polymerase II transcripts from as little as 5-10 ng of total RNA. The dramatic increase in sensitivity is achieved by specially designed, selectively degradable carrier RNA. We demonstrate the ability of SLIC-CAGE to generate data for genome-wide promoterome with 1000-fold less material than required by existing CAGE methods by generating a complex, high quality library from mouse embryonic day (E) 11.5 primordial germ cells.
Gillberg L, Orskov AD, Nasif A, et al., 2018, Oral Vitamin C Supplementation to Azacitidine in Patients with Myeloid Cancer: Normalization of Plasma Vitamin C Induces Epigenetic Changes, 60th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH), Publisher: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY, ISSN: 0006-4971
Wyck S, Herrera C, Requena CE, et al., 2018, Oxidative stress in sperm affects the epigenetic reprogramming in early embryonic development, Epigenetics & Chromatin, Vol: 11, ISSN: 1756-8935
BackgroundReactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress is well known to play a major role in male infertility. Sperm are sensitive to ROS damaging effects because as male germ cells form mature sperm they progressively lose the ability to repair DNA damage. However, how oxidative DNA lesions in sperm affect early embryonic development remains elusive.ResultsUsing cattle as model, we show that fertilization using sperm exposed to oxidative stress caused a major developmental arrest at the time of embryonic genome activation. The levels of DNA damage response did not directly correlate with the degree of developmental defects. The early cellular response for DNA damage, γH2AX, is already present at high levels in zygotes that progress normally in development and did not significantly increase at the paternal genome containing oxidative DNA lesions. Moreover, XRCC1, a factor implicated in the last step of base excision repair (BER) pathway, was recruited to the damaged paternal genome, indicating that the maternal BER machinery can repair these DNA lesions induced in sperm. Remarkably, the paternal genome with oxidative DNA lesions showed an impairment of zygotic active DNA demethylation, a process that previous studies linked to BER. Quantitative immunofluorescence analysis and ultrasensitive LC–MS-based measurements revealed that oxidative DNA lesions in sperm impair active DNA demethylation at paternal pronuclei, without affecting 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), a 5-methylcytosine modification that has been implicated in paternal active DNA demethylation in mouse zygotes. Thus, other 5hmC-independent processes are implicated in active DNA demethylation in bovine embryos. The recruitment of XRCC1 to damaged paternal pronuclei indicates that oxidative DNA lesions drive BER to repair DNA at the expense of DNA demethylation. Finally, this study highlighted striking differences in DNA methylation dynamics between bovine and mouse zygotes that will f
Luo C, Hajkova P, Ecker JR, 2018, Dynamic DNA methylation: In the right place at the right time, SCIENCE, Vol: 361, Pages: 1336-1340, ISSN: 0036-8075
Leitch HG, Hajkova P, 2018, Publisher Correction: Eggs sense high-fat diet.
In the version of this article originally published, a box was misplaced in Fig. 1. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.
McEwen KR, Linnett S, Leitch HG, et al., 2018, Signalling pathways drive heterogeneity of ground state pluripotency
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can self-renew indefinitely while maintaining the ability to generate all cell types of the body. This plasticity is proposed to require heterogeneity in gene expression, driving a metastable state which may allow flexible cell fate choices. Contrary to this, naive PSC grown in fully defined ‘2i’ environmental conditions, containing small molecule inhibitors of MEK and GSK3 kinases, show homogenous pluripotency and lineage marker expression. However, here we show that 2i induces greater genome-wide heterogeneity than traditional serum-containing growth environments at the population level across both male and female PSCs. This heterogeneity is dynamic and reversible over time, consistent with a dynamic metastable equilibrium of the pluripotent state. We further show that the 2i environment causes increased heterogeneity in the calcium signalling pathway at both the population and single-cell level. Mechanistically, we identify loss of robustness regulators in the form of negative feedback to the upstream EGF receptor. Our findings advance the current understanding of the plastic nature of the pluripotent state and highlight the role of signalling pathways in the control of transcriptional heterogeneity. Furthermore, our results have critical implications for the current use of kinase inhibitors in the clinic, where inducing heterogeneity may increase the risk of cancer metastasis and drug resistance.</jats:p>
Cvetesic N, Leitch HG, Borkowska M, et al., 2018, SLIC-CAGE: high-resolution transcription start site mapping using nanogram-levels of total RNA
<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) is a methodology for genome-wide quantitative mapping of mRNA 5’ends to precisely capture transcription start sites at a single nucleotide resolution. In combination with high-throughput sequencing, CAGE has revolutionized our understanding of rules of transcription initiation, led to discovery of new core promoter sequence features and discovered transcription initiation at enhancers genome-wide. The biggest limitation of CAGE is that even the most recently improved version (nAnT-iCAGE) still requires large amounts of total cellular RNA (5 micrograms), preventing its application to scarce biological samples such as those from early embryonic development or rare cell types. Here, we present SLIC-CAGE, a Super-Low Input Carrier-CAGE approach to capture 5’ends of RNA polymerase II transcripts from as little as 5-10 ng of total RNA. The dramatic increase in sensitivity is achieved by specially designed, selectively degradable carrier RNA. We demonstrate the ability of SLIC-CAGE to generate data for genome-wide promoterome with 1000-fold less material than required by existing CAGE methods by generating a complex, high quality library from mouse embryonic day (E) 11.5 primordial germ cells.</jats:p>
Hill PWS, Leitch HG, Requena CE, et al., 2018, Epigenetic reprogramming enables the transition from primordial germ cell to gonocyte, Nature, Vol: 555, Pages: 392-396, ISSN: 0028-0836
Gametes are highly specialized cells that can give rise to the next generation through their ability to generate a totipotent zygote. In mice, germ cells are first specified in the developing embryo around embryonic day (E) 6.25 as primordial germ cells (PGCs)1. Following subsequent migration into the developing gonad, PGCs undergo a wave of extensive epigenetic reprogramming around E10.5–E11.52,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11, including genome-wide loss of 5-methylcytosine2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11. The underlying molecular mechanisms of this process have remained unclear, leading to our inability to recapitulate this step of germline development in vitro12,13,14. Here we show, using an integrative approach, that this complex reprogramming process involves coordinated interplay among promoter sequence characteristics, DNA (de)methylation, the polycomb (PRC1) complex and both DNA demethylation-dependent and -independent functions of TET1 to enable the activation of a critical set of germline reprogramming-responsive genes involved in gamete generation and meiosis. Our results also reveal an unexpected role for TET1 in maintaining but not driving DNA demethylation in gonadal PGCs. Collectively, our work uncovers a fundamental biological role for gonadal germline reprogramming and identifies the epigenetic principles of the PGC-to-gonocyte transition that will help to guide attempts to recapitulate complete gametogenesis in vitro.
Hajkova P, Leitch HG, 2018, Eggs sense high-fat diet, Nature Genetics, Vol: 50, Pages: 318-319, ISSN: 1061-4036
Maternal high-fat diet has a negative impact on fertility—including an apparent direct effect on early development. In this issue, a new study connects this phenotype to depletion of Stella protein in oocytes, demonstrating environmental regulation of a maternal-effect gene.
Rosic S, Amouroux R, Requena C, et al., 2018, Evolutionary analysis indicates that DNA alkylation damage is a byproduct of cytosine DNA methyltransferase activity, Nature Genetics, Vol: 50, Pages: 452-459, ISSN: 1061-4036
Methylation at the 5 position of cytosine in DNA (5meC) is a key epigenetic mark in eukaryotes. Once introduced, 5meC can be maintained through DNA replication by the activity of ‘maintenance’ DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Despite their ancient origin, DNA methylation pathways differ widely across animals, such that 5meC is either confined to transcribed genes or lost altogether in several lineages. We used comparative epigenomics to investigate the evolution of DNA methylation. Although the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans lacks DNA methylation, more basal nematodes retain cytosine DNA methylation, which is targeted to repeat loci. We found that DNA methylation coevolved with the DNA alkylation repair enzyme ALKB2 across eukaryotes. In addition, we found that DNMTs introduced the toxic lesion 3-methylcytosine into DNA both in vitro and in vivo. Alkylation damage is therefore intrinsically associated with DNMT activity, and this may promote the loss of DNA methylation in many species.
Ferry L, Fournier A, Tsusaka T, et al., 2017, Methylation of DNA ligase 1 by G9a/GLP recruits UHRF1 to replicating DNA and regulates DNA methylation, Molecular Cell, Vol: 67, Pages: 550-565.e5, ISSN: 1097-2765
DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic mark in mammals that has to be re-established after each round of DNA replication. The protein UHRF1 is essential for this process; it has been proposed that the protein targets newly replicated DNA by cooperatively binding hemi-methylated DNA and H3K9me2/3, but this model leaves a number of questions unanswered. Here, we present evidence for a direct recruitment of UHRF1 by the replication machinery via DNA ligase 1 (LIG1). A histone H3K9-like mimic within LIG1 is methylated by G9a and GLP and, compared with H3K9me2/3, more avidly binds UHRF1. Interaction with methylated LIG1 promotes the recruitment of UHRF1 to DNA replication sites and is required for DNA methylation maintenance. These results further elucidate the function of UHRF1, identify a non-histone target of G9a and GLP, and provide an example of a histone mimic that coordinates DNA replication and DNA methylation maintenance.
Hajkova P, Schneider R, 2017, Dynamic changes in H1 subtype composition during epigenetic reprogramming, Journal of Cell Biology, Vol: 216, Pages: 3017-3028, ISSN: 1540-8140
In mammals, histone H1 consists of a family of related proteins, including five replication-dependent (H1.1–H1.5) and two replication-independent (H1.10 and H1.0) subtypes, all expressed in somatic cells. To systematically study the expression and function of H1 subtypes, we generated knockin mouse lines in which endogenous H1 subtypes are tagged. We focused on key developmental periods when epigenetic reprogramming occurs: early mouse embryos and primordial germ cell development. We found that dynamic changes in H1 subtype expression and localization are tightly linked with chromatin remodeling and might be crucial for transitions in chromatin structure during reprogramming. Although all somatic H1 subtypes are present in the blastocyst, each stage of preimplantation development is characterized by a different combination of H1 subtypes. Similarly, the relative abundance of somatic H1 subtypes can distinguish male and female chromatin upon sex differentiation in developing germ cells. Overall, our data provide new insights into the chromatin changes underlying epigenetic reprogramming. We suggest that distinct H1 subtypes may mediate the extensive chromatin remodeling occurring during epigenetic reprogramming and that they may be key players in the acquisition of cellular totipotency and the establishment of specific cellular states.
Wyck S, Herrera C, Requena-Torres C, et al., 2017, Oxidative stress in sperm causes developmental and epigenetic defects during bovine early embryonic development, 21st Annual Conference of the European-Society-for-Domestic-Animal-Reproduction (ESDAR), Publisher: WILEY, Pages: 143-143, ISSN: 0936-6768
Benesova M, Trejbalova K, Kucerova D, et al., 2017, Overexpression of TET dioxygenases in seminomas associates with low levels of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, Molecular Carcinogenesis, ISSN: 1098-2744
Germ cell tumors and particularly seminomas reflect the epigenomic features of their parental primordial germ cells, including the genomic DNA hypomethylation and expression of pluripotent cell markers. Because the DNA hypomethylation might be a result of TET dioxygenase activity, we examined expression of TET1-3 enzymes and the level of their product, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, in a panel of histologically characterized seminomas and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Expression of TET dioxygenase mRNAs was quantified by real-time PCR. TET1 expression and the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine were examined immunohistochemically. Quantitative assessment of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels was done by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy technique. We found highly increased expression of TET1 dioxygenase in most seminomas and a strong TET1 staining in seminoma cells. Is ocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations were not detected suggest ing the enzymatic activity of TET1. The levels of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in seminomas were found decreased in comparison to non-seminoma to us germ cell tumors and healthy testicular tissue. We propose TET1 expression as a marker of seminoma and mixed germ cell tumor and we suggest that high levels of TET1 expression are associated with the maintenance of low DNA methylation levels in seminomas. This “anti-methylator” phenotype of seminomas is in contrast to the CpG island methylator phenotype observed in a fraction of tumors of various types.
Benešová M, Trejbalová K, Kučerová D, et al., 2017, Overexpression of TET dioxygenases in seminomas associates with low levels of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation., Molecular Carcinogenesis, Vol: 56, Pages: 1837-1850, ISSN: 1098-2744
Germ cell tumors and particularly seminomas reflect the epigenomic features of their parental primordial germ cells, including genomic DNA hypomethylation and expression of pluripotent cell markers. Because the DNA hypomethylation might be a result of TET dioxygenase activity, we examined expression of TET1-3 enzymes and the level of their product, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, in a panel of histologically characterized seminomas and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Expression of TET dioxygenase mRNAs was quantified by real-time PCR. TET1 expression and the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine were examined immunohistochemically. Quantitative assessment of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels was done by the liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy technique. We found highly increased expression of TET1 dioxygenase in most seminomas and strong TET1 staining in seminoma cells. Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations were not detected, suggesting the enzymatic activity of TET1. The levels of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in seminomas were found decreased in comparison to non-seminomatous germ cell tumors and healthy testicular tissue. We propose that TET1 expression should be studied as a potential marker of seminomas and mixed germ cell tumors and we suggest that elevated expression of TET dioxygenase enzymes is associated with the maintenance of low DNA methylation levels in seminomas. This "anti-methylator" phenotype of seminomas is in contrast to the CpG island methylator phenotype observed in a fraction of tumors of various types.
Trejbalova K, Benesova M, Kucerova D, et al., 2016, Aberrant expression of ERVWE1 endogenous retrovirus and overexpression of TET dioxygenases are characteristic features of seminoma, Publisher: BIOMED CENTRAL LTD, ISSN: 1742-4690
Leitch HG, Surani MA, Hajkova P, 2016, DNA (de)methylation: the passive route to naivety?, Trends in Genetics, Vol: 32, Pages: 592-595, ISSN: 0168-9525
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