Heterochromatin Assembly: a New Twist on an Old Model

Overview

Journal Chromosome Res

Date 2006 Mar 1

PMID 16506098

Citations 27

Authors

Peter J Horn

Craig L Peterson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The organization of eukaryotic genomes requires a harmony between efficient compaction and accessibility. This is achieved through its packaging into chromatin. Chromatin can be subdivided into two general structural and functional compartments: euchromatin and heterochromatin. Euchromatin comprises most of the expressed genome, while heterochromatin participates intimately in the production of structures such as centromeres and telomeres essential for chromosome function. Studies in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe have begun to highlight the genetic pathways critical for the assembly and epigenetic maintenance of heterochromatin, including key roles played by the RNAi machinery, H3 lysine 9 methylation and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). Recent studies have also identified a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase universally required for H3 K9 methylation. Here we outline these studies and propose several models for the role of this E3 ligase in heterochromatin assembly.

Citing Articles

Recent advancements in the role of histone acetylation dynamics to improve stress responses in plants.

Bajpai S, Nisha , Pandita S, Bahadur A, Verma P Mol Biol Rep. 2024; 51(1):413.

PMID: 38472555 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09300-3.

Recent Advances in Therapeutic Modalities Against Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Future Epigenetic Landscape.

Chen K, Beeraka N, Zhang X, Sinelnikov M, Plotnikova M, Zhao C Lymphat Res Biol. 2023; 21(6):536-548.

PMID: 37267206 PMC: 10753987. DOI: 10.1089/lrb.2022.0016.

Epigenetics in Breast Cancer Therapy-New Strategies and Future Nanomedicine Perspectives.

Buocikova V, Rios-Mondragon I, Pilalis E, Chatziioannou A, Miklikova S, Mego M Cancers (Basel). 2020; 12(12).

PMID: 33287297 PMC: 7761669. DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123622.

The highly expressed methionine synthase gene of Neurospora crassa is positively regulated by its proximal heterochromatic region.

Yang S, Li W, Qi S, Gai K, Chen Y, Suo J Nucleic Acids Res. 2014; 42(10):6183-95.

PMID: 24711369 PMC: 4041435. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku261.

Molecular mechanisms of maternal cannabis and cigarette use on human neurodevelopment.

Morris C, Dinieri J, Szutorisz H, Hurd Y Eur J Neurosci. 2011; 34(10):1574-83.

PMID: 22103415 PMC: 3226730. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07884.x.

References

Sadaie M, Iida T, Urano T, Nakayama J . A chromodomain protein, Chp1, is required for the establishment of heterochromatin in fission yeast. EMBO J. 2004; 23(19):3825-35. PMC: 522800. DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600401. View

Jia S, Kobayashi R, Grewal S . Ubiquitin ligase component Cul4 associates with Clr4 histone methyltransferase to assemble heterochromatin. Nat Cell Biol. 2005; 7(10):1007-13. DOI: 10.1038/ncb1300. View

Johnson K, Shapiro-Shelef M, Tunyaplin C, Calame K . Regulatory events in early and late B-cell differentiation. Mol Immunol. 2005; 42(7):749-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2004.06.039. View

Sun Z, Allis C . Ubiquitination of histone H2B regulates H3 methylation and gene silencing in yeast. Nature. 2002; 418(6893):104-8. DOI: 10.1038/nature00883. View

Kanoh J, Sadaie M, Urano T, Ishikawa F . Telomere binding protein Taz1 establishes Swi6 heterochromatin independently of RNAi at telomeres. Curr Biol. 2005; 15(20):1808-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.09.041. View

Flick K, Ouni I, Wohlschlegel J, Capati C, McDonald W, Yates J . Proteolysis-independent regulation of the transcription factor Met4 by a single Lys 48-linked ubiquitin chain. Nat Cell Biol. 2004; 6(7):634-41. DOI: 10.1038/ncb1143. View

Grewal S, Klar A . Chromosomal inheritance of epigenetic states in fission yeast during mitosis and meiosis. Cell. 1996; 86(1):95-101. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80080-x. View

Nakayama J, Rice J, Strahl B, Allis C, Grewal S . Role of histone H3 lysine 9 methylation in epigenetic control of heterochromatin assembly. Science. 2001; 292(5514):110-3. DOI: 10.1126/science.1060118. View

Nakayama J, Klar A, Grewal S . A chromodomain protein, Swi6, performs imprinting functions in fission yeast during mitosis and meiosis. Cell. 2000; 101(3):307-17. DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80840-5. View

10.

Volpe T, Kidner C, Hall I, Teng G, Grewal S, Martienssen R . Regulation of heterochromatic silencing and histone H3 lysine-9 methylation by RNAi. Science. 2002; 297(5588):1833-7. DOI: 10.1126/science.1074973. View

11.

Ekwall K, Ruusala T . Mutations in rik1, clr2, clr3 and clr4 genes asymmetrically derepress the silent mating-type loci in fission yeast. Genetics. 1994; 136(1):53-64. PMC: 1205792. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/136.1.53. View

12.

Rogakou E, Boon C, Redon C, Bonner W . Megabase chromatin domains involved in DNA double-strand breaks in vivo. J Cell Biol. 1999; 146(5):905-16. PMC: 2169482. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.146.5.905. View

13.

Motamedi M, Verdel A, Colmenares S, Gerber S, Gygi S, Moazed D . Two RNAi complexes, RITS and RDRC, physically interact and localize to noncoding centromeric RNAs. Cell. 2004; 119(6):789-802. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2004.11.034. View

14.

Shin J, Choi E, Kim H, Ho J, Watts F, Park S . SUMO modification is involved in the maintenance of heterochromatin stability in fission yeast. Mol Cell. 2005; 19(6):817-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2005.08.021. View

15.

Horn P, Bastie J, Peterson C . A Rik1-associated, cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase is essential for heterochromatin formation. Genes Dev. 2005; 19(14):1705-14. PMC: 1176008. DOI: 10.1101/gad.1328005. View

16.

Hay R . SUMO: a history of modification. Mol Cell. 2005; 18(1):1-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2005.03.012. View

17.

Sun L, Chen Z . The novel functions of ubiquitination in signaling. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2004; 16(2):119-26. DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2004.02.005. View

18.

Tuzon C, Borgstrom B, Weilguny D, Egel R, Cooper J, Nielsen O . The fission yeast heterochromatin protein Rik1 is required for telomere clustering during meiosis. J Cell Biol. 2004; 165(6):759-65. PMC: 2172399. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200312061. View

19.

Kim H, Choi E, Shin J, Jang Y, Park S . Regulation of Swi6/HP1-dependent heterochromatin assembly by cooperation of components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and a histone deacetylase Clr6. J Biol Chem. 2004; 279(41):42850-9. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M407259200. View

20.

Petroski M, Deshaies R . Function and regulation of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2005; 6(1):9-20. DOI: 10.1038/nrm1547. View