title: Components of the DNA methylation system of chromatin control are RNA-binding proteins.
abstract: The view that autosomal gene expression is controlled exclusively by protein trans-acting factors has been challenged recently by the identification of RNA molecules that regulate chromatin. In the majority of cases where RNA molecules are implicated in DNA control, the molecular mechanisms are unknown, in large part because the RNA.protein complexes are uncharacterized. Here, we identify a novel set of RNA-binding proteins that are well known for their function in chromatin regulation. The RNA-interacting proteins are components of the mammalian DNA methylation system. Genomic methylation controls chromatin in the context of transposon silencing, imprinting, and X chromosome dosage compensation. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) catalyze methylation of cytosines in CGs. The methyl-CGs are recognized by methyl-DNA-binding domain (MBD) proteins, which recruit histone deacetylases and chromatin remodeling proteins to effect silencing. We show that a subset of the DNMTs and MBD proteins can form RNA.protein complexes. We characterize the MBD protein RNA-binding activity and show that it is distinct from the methyl-CG-binding domain and mediates a high affinity interaction with RNA. The RNA and methyl-CG binding properties of the MBD proteins are mutually exclusive. We speculate that DNMTs and MBD proteins allow RNA molecules to participate in DNA methylation-mediated chromatin control.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratories, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakielny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000737:chemistry; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C489325:MBD2 protein, human; C497392:MECP2 protein, human; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012313:RNA; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; D005982:Glutathione Transferase