Heterochromatin, HP1 and methylation at lysine 9 of histone H3 in animals.
We show that methylated lysine 9 of histone H3 (Me9H3) is a marker of heterochromatin in divergent animal species. It localises to both constitutive and facultative heterochromatin and replicates late in S-phase of the cell cycle. Significantly, Me9H3 is enriched in the inactive mammalian X chromosome (Xi) in female cells, as well as in the XY body during meiosis in the male, and forms a G-band pattern along the arms of the autosomes. Me9H3 is a constituent of imprinted chromosomes that are repressed. The paternal and maternal pronuclei in one-cell mouse embryos show a striking non-equivalence in Me9H3: the paternal pronucleus contains no immunocytologically detectable Me9H3. The levels of Me9H3 on the parental chromosomes only become equivalent after the two-cell stage. Finally, we provide evidence that Me9H3 is neither necessary nor sufficient for localisation of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) to chromosomal DNA.
Cowell
Ian G
IG
Division of Gene Expression and Development, The Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Midlothian, UK.
Aucott
Rebecca
R
Mahadevaiah
Shantha K
SK
Burgoyne
Paul S
PS
Huskisson
Neville
N
Bongiorni
Silvia
S
Prantera
Giorgio
G
Fanti
Laura
L
Pimpinelli
Sergio
S
Wu
Rong
R
Gilbert
David M
DM
Shi
Wei
W
Fundele
Reinald
R
Morrison
Harris
H
Jeppesen
Peter
P
Singh
Prim B
PB
D000818:Animals; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism
D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones; D000090266:Chromobox Protein Homolog 5; D004247:DNA; D008239:Lysine; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole