Global DNA hypomethylation prevents consolidation of differentiation programs and allows reversion to the embryonic stem cell state.

DNA methylation patterns change dynamically during mammalian development and lineage specification, yet scarce information is available about how DNA methylation affects gene expression profiles upon differentiation. Here we determine genome-wide transcription profiles during undirected differentiation of severely hypomethylated (Dnmt1⁻/⁻) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) as well as ESCs completely devoid of DNA methylation (Dnmt1⁻/⁻;Dnmt3a⁻/⁻;Dnmt3b⁻/⁻ or TKO) and assay their potential to transit in and out of the ESC state. We find that the expression of only few genes mainly associated with germ line function and the X chromosome is affected in undifferentiated TKO ESCs. Upon initial differentiation as embryoid bodies (EBs) wild type, Dnmt1⁻/⁻ and TKO cells downregulate pluripotency associated genes and upregulate lineage specific genes, but their transcription profiles progressively diverge upon prolonged EB culture. While Oct4 protein levels are completely and homogeneously suppressed, transcription of Oct4 and Nanog is not completely silenced even at late stages in both Dnmt1⁻/⁻ and TKO EBs. Despite late wild type and Dnmt1⁻/⁻ EBs showing a much higher degree of concordant expression, after EB dissociation and replating under pluripotency promoting conditions both Dnmt1⁻/⁻ and TKO cells, but not wild type cells rapidly revert to expression profiles typical of undifferentiated ESCs. Thus, while DNA methylation seems not to be critical for initial activation of differentiation programs, it is crucial for permanent restriction of developmental fate during differentiation

Wie beeinflussen Umwelterfahrungen unser Genom? Regulation auf molekularer Ebene durch epigenetische Prozesse

Differenzierte Zelllinien, Organismen in verschiedenen Metamorphose-Stadien, Bienenköniginnen und -Arbeiterinnen – bei all diesen Beispielen ist die Basenabfolge der DNA jeweils (größtenteils) identisch, die Phänotypen zeigen jedoch extreme Abweichungen untereinander. Im letzten Beispiel ist der Effekt sogar von Umwelteinflüssen induziert. Versucht man diese Phänomene zu erklären, stößt man schnell an die Grenzen klassischer molekulargenetischer Konzepte. Denn die Organisation des Genoms, die Regulation der Transkription, die variable Anpassung auf Umweltreize bis hin zur Vererbung solcher Anpassungen werden epigenetisch vermittelt. Aufgrund der rasanten Entwicklung dieses Forschungsgebiets ist es meist schwer die Übersicht über “die Epigenetik” zu wahren. Dieser Beitrag stellt die wichtigsten fachlichen Grundlagen der molekularen Mechanismen zusammen, skizziert einen Unterrichtsvorschlag im Flipped-Classroom-Format und stellt eine Vielzahl von Arbeitsmaterial zur Verfügung

Np95 interacts with de novo DNA methyltransferases, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b, and mediates epigenetic silencing of the viral CMV promoter in embryonic stem cells

Recent studies have indicated that nuclear protein of 95 kDa (Np95) is essential for maintaining genomic methylation by recruiting DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) 1 to hemi-methylated sites. Here, we show that Np95 interacts more strongly with regulatory domains of the de novo methyltransferases Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. To investigate possible functions, we developed an epigenetic silencing assay using fluorescent reporters in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Interestingly, silencing of the cytomegalovirus promoter in ESCs preceded DNA methylation and was strictly dependent on the presence of either Np95, histone H3 methyltransferase G9a or Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. Our results indicate a regulatory role for Np95, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b in mediating epigenetic silencing through histone modification followed by DNA methylation

Different Binding Properties and Function of CXXC Zinc Finger Domains in Dnmt1 and Tet1

Several mammalian proteins involved in chromatin and DNA modification contain CXXC zinc finger domains. We compared the structure and function of the CXXC domains in the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt1 and the methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet1. Sequence alignment showed that both CXXC domains have a very similar framework but differ in the central tip region. Based on the known structure of a similar MLL1 domain we developed homology models and designed expression constructs for the isolated CXXC domains of Dnmt1 and Tet1 accordingly. We show that the CXXC domain of Tet1 has no DNA binding activity and is dispensable for catalytic activity in vivo. In contrast, the CXXC domain of Dnmt1 selectively binds DNA substrates containing unmethylated CpG sites. Surprisingly, a Dnmt1 mutant construct lacking the CXXC domain formed covalent complexes with cytosine bases both in vitro and in vivo and rescued DNA methylation patterns in dnmt1−/− embryonic stem cells (ESCs) just as efficiently as wild type Dnmt1. Interestingly, neither wild type nor ΔCXXC Dnmt1 re-methylated imprinted CpG sites of the H19a promoter in dnmt1−/− ESCs, arguing against a role of the CXXC domain in restraining Dnmt1 methyltransferase activity on unmethylated CpG sites

Dynamics of Dnmt1 interaction with the replication machinery and its role in postreplicative maintenance of DNA methylation

Postreplicative maintenance of genomic methylation patterns was proposed to depend largely on the binding of DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) to PCNA, a core component of the replication machinery. We investigated how the slow and discontinuous DNA methylation could be mechanistically linked with fast and processive DNA replication. Using photobleaching and quantitative live cell imaging we show that Dnmt1 binding to PCNA is highly dynamic. Activity measurements of a PCNA-binding-deficient mutant with an enzyme-trapping assay in living cells showed that this interaction accounts for a 2-fold increase in methylation efficiency. Expression of this mutant in mouse dnmt1−/− embryonic stem (ES) cells restored CpG island methylation. Thus association of Dnmt1 with the replication machinery enhances methylation efficiency, but is not strictly required for maintaining global methylation. The transient nature of this interaction accommodates the different kinetics of DNA replication and methylation while contributing to faithful propagation of epigenetic information

In Vivo Control of CpG and Non-CpG DNA Methylation by DNA Methyltransferases

The enzymatic control of the setting and maintenance of symmetric and non-symmetric DNA methylation patterns in a particular genome context is not well understood. Here, we describe a comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation patterns generated by high resolution sequencing of hairpin-bisulfite amplicons of selected single copy genes and repetitive elements (LINE1, B1, IAP-LTR-retrotransposons, and major satellites). The analysis unambiguously identifies a substantial amount of regional incomplete methylation maintenance, i.e. hemimethylated CpG positions, with variant degrees among cell types. Moreover, non-CpG cytosine methylation is confined to ESCs and exclusively catalysed by Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. This sequence position–, cell type–, and region-dependent non-CpG methylation is strongly linked to neighboring CpG methylation and requires the presence of Dnmt3L. The generation of a comprehensive data set of 146,000 CpG dyads was used to apply and develop parameter estimated hidden Markov models (HMM) to calculate the relative contribution of DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) for de novo and maintenance DNA methylation. The comparative modelling included wild-type ESCs and mutant ESCs deficient for Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b, or Dnmt3a/3b, respectively. The HMM analysis identifies a considerable de novo methylation activity for Dnmt1 at certain repetitive elements and single copy sequences. Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b contribute de novo function. However, both enzymes are also essential to maintain symmetrical CpG methylation at distinct repetitive and single copy sequences in ESCs

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of Methyl CpG Binding Domain Protein 2 Regulates Chromatin Structure

The epigenetic information encoded in the genomic DNA methylation pattern is translated by methylcytosine binding proteins like MeCP2 into chromatin topology and structure and gene activity states. We have shown previously that the MeCP2 level increases during differentiation and that it causes large-scale chromatin reorganization, which is disturbed by MeCP2 Rett syndrome mutations. Phosphorylation and other posttranslational modifications of MeCP2 have been described recently to modulate its function. Here we show poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of endogenous MeCP2 in mouse brain tissue. Consequently, we found that MeCP2 induced aggregation of pericentric heterochromatin and that its chromatin accumulation was enhanced in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) 1(-/-) compared with wild-type cells. We mapped the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation domains and engineered MeCP2 mutation constructs to further analyze potential effects on DNA binding affinity and large-scale chromatin remodeling. Single or double deletion of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated regions and PARP inhibition increased the heterochromatin clustering ability of MeCP2. Increased chromatin clustering may reflect increased binding affinity. In agreement with this hypothesis, we found that PARP-1 deficiency significantly increased the chromatin binding affinity of MeCP2 in vivo. These data provide novel mechanistic insights into the regulation of MeCP2-mediated, higher-order chromatin architecture and suggest therapeutic opportunities to manipulate MeCP2 function