title: Mitotic retention of gene expression patterns by the cell fate-determining transcription factor Runx2.
abstract: During cell division, cessation of transcription is coupled with mitotic chromosome condensation. A fundamental biological question is how gene expression patterns are retained during mitosis to ensure the phenotype of progeny cells. We suggest that cell fate-determining transcription factors provide an epigenetic mechanism for the retention of gene expression patterns during cell division. Runx proteins are lineage-specific transcription factors that are essential for hematopoietic, neuronal, gastrointestinal, and osteogenic cell fates. Here we show that Runx2 protein is stable during cell division and remains associated with chromosomes during mitosis through sequence-specific DNA binding. Using siRNA-mediated silencing, mitotic cell synchronization, and expression profiling, we identify Runx2-regulated genes that are modulated postmitotically. Novel target genes involved in cell growth and differentiation were validated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Importantly, we find that during mitosis, when transcription is shut down, Runx2 selectively occupies target gene promoters, and Runx2 deficiency alters mitotic histone modifications. We conclude that Runx proteins have an active role in retaining phenotype during cell division to support lineage-specific control of gene expression in progeny cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Center, Program in Molecular Medicine, and Information Services, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655-0105, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Mohammad Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: Amjad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: Sayyed K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Furcinitti
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lapointe
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montecino
authors.forename: Jane B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Andre J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Wijnen
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D034622:RNA Interference
chemical_list: D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; C493709:RUNX2 protein, human