title: A novel human polycomb binding site acts as a functional polycomb response element in Drosophila.
abstract: Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are key chromatin regulators implicated in multiple processes including embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, genomic imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, and germ cell differentiation. The PcG proteins recognize target genomic loci through cis DNA sequences known as Polycomb Response Elements (PREs), which are well characterized in Drosophila. However, mammalian PREs have been elusive until two groups reported putative mammalian PREs recently. Consistent with the existence of mammalian PREs, here we report the identification and characterization of a potential PRE from human T cells. The putative human PRE has enriched binding of PcG proteins, and such binding is dependent on a key PcG component SUZ12. We demonstrate that the putative human PRE carries both genetic and molecular features of Drosophila PRE in transgenic flies, implying that not only the trans PcG proteins but also certain features of the cis PREs are conserved between mammals and Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA. Suresh.Cuddapah@nyumc.org
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuddapah
authors.forename: Tae-Young
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Kairong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Cynthia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Jose
authors.forename: Margaret T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: Keji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001665:Binding Sites; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020218:Response Elements; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C116662:PRC1 protein, human; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins