title: Transcriptional repression of Hox genes by C. elegans HP1/HPL and H1/HIS-24.
abstract: Elucidation of the biological role of linker histone (H1) and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) in mammals has been difficult owing to the existence of a least 11 distinct H1 and three HP1 subtypes in mice. Caenorhabditis elegans possesses two HP1 homologues (HPL-1 and HPL-2) and eight H1 variants. Remarkably, one of eight H1 variants, HIS-24, is important for C. elegans development. Therefore we decided to analyse in parallel the transcriptional profiles of HIS-24, HPL-1/-2 deficient animals, and their phenotype, since hpl-1, hpl-2, and his-24 deficient nematodes are viable. Global transcriptional analysis of the double and triple mutants revealed that HPL proteins and HIS-24 play gene-specific roles, rather than a general repressive function. We showed that HIS-24 acts synergistically with HPL to allow normal reproduction, somatic gonad development, and vulval cell fate decision. Furthermore, the hpl-2; his-24 double mutant animals displayed abnormal development of the male tail and ectopic expression of C. elegans HOM-C/Hox genes (egl-5 and mab-5), which are involved in the developmental patterning of male mating structures. We found that HPL-2 and the methylated form of HIS-24 specifically interact with the histone H3 K27 region in the trimethylated state, and HIS-24 associates with the egl-5 and mab-5 genes. Our results establish the interplay between HPL-1/-2 and HIS-24 proteins in the regulation of positional identity in C. elegans males.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genes and Behavior, Epigenetics in C elegans Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Studencka
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wesołowski
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salinas-Riester
authors.forename: Jacek R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jedrusik-Bode
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D009154:Mutation; D013623:Tail / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014844:Vulva / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C477318:Egl-5 protein, C elegans; C525194:HPL-1 protein, C elegans; C514742:HPL-2 protein, C elegans; D006657:Histones; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C081538:Mab-5 protein, C elegans; C415743:Mes-1 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase