title: Histone H3 and H4 modification profiles in a Rett syndrome mouse model.
abstract: Rett syndrome (RTT) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that has been associated with mutations of methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). MeCP2 acts as a transcriptional repressor and binds to histone modifier proteins, which prompted us to wonder whether MeCP2 disruption affects global histone modification patterns. Taking a two-fold approach of using high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) and western blot, we analyzed the acetylation and methylation status of histones H3 and H4 in a mouse model of RTT where the MeCP2 locus is genetically disrupted. The comparison of cortex, midbrain and cerebellum in wild-type and MeCP2-knock out mice did not reveal any significant difference in the global H3 and H4 histone modification patterns. Our results suggest that MeCP2 deficiency involves local and gene-specific chromatin changes rather than massive histone modification changes.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rocio G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Urdinguio
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ropero
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; C497393:Mecp2 protein, mouse; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2