| 1. |
- Dorafshan, Eshagh, et al.
(författare)
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Ash1 counteracts Polycomb repression independent of histone H3 lysine 36 methylation
- 2019
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Ingår i: EMBO Reports. - : WILEY. - 1469-221X .- 1469-3178. ; 20:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polycomb repression is critical for metazoan development. Equally important but less studied is the Trithorax system, which safeguards Polycomb target genes from the repression in cells where they have to remain active. It was proposed that the Trithorax system acts via methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 and lysine 36 (H3K36), thereby inhibiting histone methyltransferase activity of the Polycomb complexes. Here we test this hypothesis by asking whether the Trithorax group protein Ash1 requires H3K36 methylation to counteract Polycomb repression. We show that Ash1 is the only Drosophila H3K36-specific methyltransferase necessary to prevent excessive Polycomb repression of homeotic genes. Unexpectedly, our experiments reveal no correlation between the extent of H3K36 methylation and the resistance to Polycomb repression. Furthermore, we find that complete substitution of the zygotic histone H3 with a variant in which lysine 36 is replaced by arginine does not cause excessive repression of homeotic genes. Our results suggest that the model, where the Trithorax group proteins methylate histone H3 to inhibit the histone methyltransferase activity of the Polycomb complexes, needs revision.
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| 2. |
- Dorafshan, Eshagh, et al.
(författare)
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Does Ash1 counteract Polycomb repression by methylating H3K36?
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Polycomb repression is critical to maintain cell type specific genome expression programs in a wide range of multicellular animals. Equally important but less studied is the Trithorax group system, which safeguards Polycomb target genes from the repression in cells where they have to remain active. Based on in vitro studies it was proposed that the Trithorax group system acts via methylation of histone H3 at Lysine 4 (H3K4) and Lysine 36 (H3K36) thereby inhibiting histone methyltransferase activity of the Polycomb complexes. This hypothesis is yet to be comprehensively tested in vivo. Here we used the power of the Drosophila model to investigate how the Trithorax group protein Ash1 and the H3K36 methylation counteract Polycomb repression. We show, for the first time, that Ash1 is the only Drosophila H3K36-specific methyltransferase required to prevent excessive Polycomb repression of homeotic genes. Unexpectedly, our experiments revealed no correlation between the extent of H3K36 methylation and the resistance to Polycomb repression. Furthermore, we find that complete substitution of the zygotic histone H3 with a variant in which Lysine 36 is replaced by Arginine does not cause excessive repression of Drosophila homeotic genes. Together with earlier studies, our results suggest that the model, where the Trithorax group proteins methylate histone H3 to inhibit the histone methyltransferase activity of the Polycomb complexes, may need to be reevaluated.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Dorafshan, Eshagh, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Dissection Reveals the Role of Ash1 Domains in Counteracting Polycomb Repression
- 2019
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Ingår i: G3. - : The Genetics Society of America. - 2160-1836. ; 9:11, s. 3801-3812
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antagonistic functions of Polycomb and Trithorax proteins are essential for proper development of all metazoans. While the Polycomb proteins maintain the repressed state of many key developmental genes, the Trithorax proteins ensure that these genes stay active in cells where they have to be expressed. Ash1 is the Trithorax protein that was proposed to counteract Polycomb repression by methylating lysine 36 of histone H3. However, it was recently shown that genetic replacement of Drosophila histone H3 with the variant that carried Arginine instead of Lysine at position 36 did not impair the ability of Ash1 to counteract Polycomb repression. This argues that Ash1 counteracts Polycomb repression by methylating yet unknown substrate(s) and that it is time to look beyond Ash1 methyltransferase SET domain, at other evolutionary conserved parts of the protein that received little attention. Here we used Drosophila genetics to demonstrate that Ash1 requires each of the BAH, PHD and SET domains to counteract Polycomb repression, while AT hooks are dispensable. Our findings argue that, in vivo, Ash1 acts as a multimer. Thereby it can combine the input of the SET domain and PHD-BAH cassette residing in different peptides. Finally, using new loss of function alleles, we show that zygotic Ash1 is required to prevent erroneous repression of homeotic genes of the bithorax complex in the embryo.
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| 5. |
- Kang, Hyuckjoon, et al.
(författare)
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Variant Polycomb complexes in Drosophila consistent with ancient functional diversity
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : NLM (Medline). - 2375-2548. ; 8:36
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polycomb group (PcG) mutants were first identified in Drosophila on the basis of their failure to maintain proper Hox gene repression during development. The proteins encoded by the corresponding fly genes mainly assemble into one of two discrete Polycomb repressive complexes: PRC1 or PRC2. However, biochemical analyses in mammals have revealed alternative forms of PRC2 and multiple distinct types of noncanonical or variant PRC1. Through a series of proteomic analyses, we identify analogous PRC2 and variant PRC1 complexes in Drosophila, as well as a broader repertoire of interactions implicated in early development. Our data provide strong support for the ancient diversity of PcG complexes and a framework for future analysis in a longstanding and versatile genetic system.
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| 6. |
- Lindehell, Henrik, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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The role of H3K36 methylation and associated methyltransferases in chromosome-specific gene regulation
- 2021
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science. - 2375-2548. ; 7:40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Drosophila, two chromosomes require special mechanisms to balance their transcriptional output to the rest of the genome. These are the male-specific lethal complex targeting the male X chromosome and Painting of fourth targeting chromosome 4. Here, we explore the role of histone H3 methylated at lysine-36 (H3K36) and the associated methyltransferases—Set2, NSD, and Ash1—in these two chromosome-specific systems. We show that the loss of Set2 impairs the MSL complex–mediated dosage compensation; however, the effect is not recapitulated by H3K36 replacement and indicates an alternative target of Set2. Unexpectedly, balanced transcriptional output from the fourth chromosome requires intact H3K36 and depends on the additive functions of NSD and Ash1. We conclude that H3K36 methylation and the associated methyltransferases are important factors to balance transcriptional output of the male X chromosome and the fourth chromosome. Furthermore, our study highlights the pleiotropic effects of these enzymes.
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