Combinatorial patterns of histone acetylations and methylations in the human genome.
Histones are characterized by numerous posttranslational modifications that influence gene transcription. However, because of the lack of global distribution data in higher eukaryotic systems, the extent to which gene-specific combinatorial patterns of histone modifications exist remains to be determined. Here, we report the patterns derived from the analysis of 39 histone modifications in human CD4(+) T cells. Our data indicate that a large number of patterns are associated with promoters and enhancers. In particular, we identify a common modification module consisting of 17 modifications detected at 3,286 promoters. These modifications tend to colocalize in the genome and correlate with each other at an individual nucleosome level. Genes associated with this module tend to have higher expression, and addition of more modifications to this module is associated with further increased expression. Our data suggest that these histone modifications may act cooperatively to prepare chromatin for transcriptional activation.
Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Zhibin
Z
Wang
Chongzhi
C
Zang
Jeffrey A
JA
Rosenfeld
Dustin E
DE
Schones
Artem
A
Barski
Suresh
S
Cuddapah
Kairong
K
Cui
Tae-Young
TY
Roh
Weiqun
W
Peng
Michael Q
MQ
Zhang
Keji
K
Zhao
D000107:Acetylation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000502:physiology; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases
D006657:Histones; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases