title: Dense chromatin activates Polycomb repressive complex 2 to regulate H3 lysine 27 methylation.
abstract: Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)-mediated histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) methylation is vital for Polycomb gene silencing, a classic epigenetic phenomenon that maintains transcriptional silencing throughout cell divisions. We report that PRC2 activity is regulated by the density of its substrate nucleosome arrays. Neighboring nucleosomes activate the PRC2 complex with a fragment of their H3 histones (Ala(31) to Arg(42)). We also identified mutations on PRC2 subunit Su(z)12, which impair its binding and response to the activating peptide and its ability in establishing H3K27 trimethylation levels in vivo. In mouse embryonic stem cells, local chromatin compaction occurs before the formation of trimethylated H3K27 upon transcription cessation of the retinoic acid-regulated gene CYP26a1. We propose that PRC2 can sense the chromatin environment to exert its role in the maintenance of transcriptional states.
authors.affiliation: College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhuqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tianhui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Zhifu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jijie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Xianghong Jasmine
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shaorong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells; D020868:Gene Silencing; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072516:Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C494163:Suz12 protein, mouse; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C000607080:Cyp26a1 protein, mouse; D000072516:Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; C524066:PRC2 protein, Drosophila; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D008239:Lysine