title: Interplay of chromatin modifications and non-coding RNAs in the heart.
abstract: Precisely regulated patterns of gene expression are dependent on the binding of transcription factors and chromatin-associated determinants referred to as co-activators and co-repressors. These regulatory components function with the core transcriptional machinery to serve in critical activities to alter chromatin modification and regulate gene expression. While we are beginning to understand that cell-type specific patterns of gene expression are necessary to achieve selective cardiovascular developmental programs, we still do not know the molecular machineries that localize these determinants in the heart. With clear implications for the epigenetic control of gene expression signatures, the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) Project Consortium determined that about 90% of the human genome is transcribed while only 1-2% of transcripts encode proteins. Emerging evidence suggests that non-coding RNA (ncRNA) serves as a signal for decoding chromatin modifications and provides a potential molecular basis for cell type-specific and promoter-specific patterns of gene expression. The discovery of the histone methyltransferase enzyme EZH2 in the regulation of gene expression patterns implicated in cardiac hypertrophy suggests a novel role for chromatin-associated ncRNAs and is the focus of this article.
authors.affiliation: Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease Laboratory; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute; The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct; Melbourne, VIC Australia.
authors.forename: Prabhu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mathiyalagan
authors.affiliation: Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease Laboratory; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute; The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct; Melbourne, VIC Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Keating
authors.affiliation: Experimental Cardiology Laboratory; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute; Melbourne, VIC Australia.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Epigenetics in Human Health and Disease Laboratory; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute; The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct; Melbourne, VIC Australia; Epigenomics Profiling Facility; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute; The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct; Melbourne, VIC Australia; Department of Pathology; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne, VIC Australia; Faculty of Medicine; Monash University; Melbourne, VIC Australia.
authors.forename: Assam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Osta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2
keywords: cardiac hypertrophy; chromatin; gene regulation; histone modifications; long non-coding RNA