title: Distinctive signatures of histone methylation in transcribed coding and noncoding human beta-globin sequences.
abstract: The establishment of epigenetic marks, such as methylation on histone tails, is mechanistically linked to RNA polymerase II within active genes. To explore the interplay between these modifications in transcribed noncoding as well as coding sequences, we analyzed epigenetic modification and chromatin structure at high resolution across 300 kb of human chromosome 11, including the beta-globin locus which is extensively transcribed in intergenic regions. Monomethylated H3K4, K9, and K36 were broadly distributed, while hypermethylated forms appeared to different extents across the region in a manner reflecting transcriptional activity. The trimethylation of H3K4 and H3K9 correlated within the most highly transcribed sequences. The H3K36me3 mark was more broadly detected in transcribed coding and noncoding sequences, suggesting that K36me3 is a stable mark on sequences transcribed at any level. Most epigenetic and chromatin structural features did not undergo transitions at the presumed borders of the globin domain where the insulator factor CTCF interacts, raising questions about the function of the borders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan 609-735, South Korea. kimaeri@pusan.ac.kr
authors.forename: AeRi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dean
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D001483:Base Sequence; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005914:Globins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D006657:Histones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005914:Globins; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D008239:Lysine