Correlation between histone lysine methylation and developmental changes at the chicken beta-globin locus.
Methylation of histones at specific residues plays an important role in transcriptional regulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of dimethylated lysine 9 on histone H3 across 53 kilobases of the chicken beta-globin locus during erythropoiesis shows an almost complete anticorrelation between regions of elevated lysine 9 methylation and acetylation. Lysine 9 is methylated most over constitutive condensed chromatin and developmentally inactive globin genes. In contrast, lysine 4 methylation of histone H3 correlates with H3 acetylation. These results lead us to propose a mechanism by which the insulator in the beta-globin locus can protect the globin genes from being silenced by adjacent condensed chromatin.
Litt
M D
MD
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0540, USA.
Simpson
M
M
Gaszner
M
M
Allis
C D
CD
Felsenfeld
G
G
D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D058973:Folate Receptors, GPI-Anchored; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D019901:Locus Control Region; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008745:Methylation; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D030161:Avian Proteins; C099109:COR3 protein, chicken; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D058973:Folate Receptors, GPI-Anchored; D006657:Histones; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D005914:Globins; D008239:Lysine