A Large Fraction of Extragenic RNA Pol II Transcription Sites Overlap Enhancers

A substantial fraction of extragenic Pol II transcription sites coincides with transcriptional enhancers, which may be relevant for functional annotation of mammalian genomes

Setd1a regulates progenitor B-cell-to-precursor B-cell development through histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation and Ig heavy-chain rearrangement

SETD1A is a member of trithorax-related histone methyltransferases that methylate lysine 4 at histone H3 (H3K4). We showed previously that Setd1a is required for mesoderm specification and hematopoietic lineage differentiation in vitro. However, it remains unknown whether or not Setd1a controls specific hematopoietic lineage commitment and differentiation during animal development. Here, we reported that homozygous Setd1a knockout (KO) mice are embryonic lethal. Loss of the Setd1a gene in the hematopoietic compartment resulted in a blockage of the progenitor B-cell-to-precursor B-cell development in bone marrow (BM) and B-cell maturation in spleen. The Setd1a-cKO (conditional knockout) mice exhibited an enlarged spleen with disrupted spleen architecture and leukocytopenia. Mechanistically, Setd1a deficiency in BM reduced the levels of H3K4me3 at critical B-cell gene loci, including Pax5 and Rag1/2, which are critical for the IgH (Ig heavy-chain) locus contractions and rearrangement. Subsequently, the differential long-range looped interactions of the enhancer Eμ with proximal 5′ D(H) region and 3′ regulatory regions as well as with Pax5-activated intergenic repeat elements and 5′ distal V(H) genes were compromised by the Setd1a-cKO. Together, our findings revealed a critical role of Setd1a and its mediated epigenetic modifications in regulating the IgH rearrangement and B-cell development.—Tusi, B. K., Deng, C., Salz, T., Zeumer, L., Li, Y., So, C. W. E., Morel, L. M., Qiu, Y., Huang, S. Setd1a regulates progenitor B-cell-to-precursor B-cell development through histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation and Ig heavy-chain rearrangement

© 2009 Molecular Vision Genotyping results of Iranian PCG families suggests one or more PCG locus other than GCL3A, GCL3B, and GCL3C exist

Purpose: To assess whether loci other than GLC3A, GLC3B, and GLC3C are linked to primary congenital glaucom

The H3K27 Demethylase JMJD3 Is Required for Maintenance of the Embryonic Respiratory Neuronal Network, Neonatal Breathing, and Survival

JMJD3 (KDM6B) antagonizes Polycomb silencing by demethylating lysine 27 on histone H3. The interplay of methyltransferases and demethylases at this residue is thought to underlie critical cell fate transitions, and the dynamics of H3K27me3 during neurogenesis posited for JMJD3 a critical role in the acquisition of neural fate. Despite evidence of its involvement in early neural commitment, however, its role in the emergence and maturation of the mammalian CNS remains unknown. Here, we inactivated Jmjd3 in the mouse and found that its loss causes perinatal lethality with the complete and selective disruption of the pre-Bötzinger complex (PBC), the pacemaker of the respiratory rhythm generator. Through genetic and electrophysiological approaches, we show that the enzymatic activity of JMJD3 is selectively required for the maintenance of the PBC and controls critical regulators of PBC activity, uncovering an unanticipated role of this enzyme in the late structuring and function of neuronal networks

CYP1B1 Mutation Profile of Iranian Primary Congenital Glaucoma Patients and Associated Haplotypes

The mutation spectrum of CYP1B1 among 104 primary congenital glaucoma patients of the genetically heterogeneous Iranian population was investigated by sequencing. We also determined intragenic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotypes associated with the mutations and compared these with haplotypes of other populations. Finally, the frequency distribution of the haplotypes was compared among primary congenital glaucoma patients with and without CYP1B1 mutations and normal controls. Genotype classification of six high-frequency SNPs was performed using the PHASE 2.0 software. CYP1B1 mutations in the Iranian patients were very heterogeneous. Nineteen nonconservative mutations associated with disease, and 10 variations not associated with disease were identified. Ten mutations and three variations not associated with disease were novel. The 13 novel variations make a notable contribution to the ∼70 known variations in the gene. CYP1B1 mutations were identified in 70% of the patients. The four most common mutations were G61E, R368H, R390H, and R469W, which together constituted 76.2% of the CYP1B1 mutated alleles found. Six unique core SNP haplotypes were identified, four of which were common to the patients with and without CYP1B1 mutations and controls studied. Three SNP blocks determined the haplotypes. Comparison of haplotypes with those of other populations suggests a common origin for many of the mutations