Molecular Mechanisms of Gene Silencing Mediated by DNA Methylation

DNA methylation and chromatin modification operate along a common pathway to repress transcription; accordingly, several experiments demonstrate that the effects of DNA methylation can spread in cis and do not require promoter modification. In order to investigate the molecular details of the inhibitory effect of methylation, we microinjected into Xenopus oocytes a series of constructs containing a human CpG-rich sequence which has been differentially methylated and cloned at different positions relative to a specific promoter. The parameters influencing the diffusion of gene silencing and the importance of histone deacetylation in the spreading effect were analyzed. We demonstrate that a few methylated cytosines can inhibit a flanking promoter but a threshold of modified sites is required to organize a stable, diffusible chromatin structure. Histone deacetylation is the main cause of gene repression only when methylation does not reach levels sufficient to establish this particular structure. Moreover, contrary to the common thought, promoter modification does not lead to the greater repressive effect; the existence of a competition between transactivators and methyl-binding proteins for the establishment of an open conformation justifies the results obtained

A novel protein, Xenopus p20, influences the stability of MeCP2 through direct interaction

7MeCP2 is the founder member of a family of methyl-CpG-binding proteins able to repress transcription from methylated DNA. To date, MeCP2 action seems to involve the delivery on modified DNA of histone deacetylase activity, followed by histone methylating activity. It has been recently demonstrated that MECP2 mutations cause Rett syndrome, a childhood neurological disorder that represents one of the most common causes of mental retardation in females. Here we show that a novel Xenopus laevis protein of 20 kDa, p20, is able to interact in vivo and in vitro with MeCP2. The p20 sequence revealed that it belongs to the family of the WAP (whey acidic protein) proteins, often functioning as a protease inhibitor. Therefore, we asked whether the p20 can influence the MeCP2 half-life. We demonstrate that, indeed, the xp20 not only can significantly increase the stability of an exogenously expressed MeCP2 in Xenopus oocytes but also can stabilize the human endogenous MeCP2. The capability of the mammalian methyl-CpG-binding protein to interact with p20 is confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments performed over-expressing the WAP protein. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays reveal that the MeCP2 residues localized between the methyl-binding domain and the transcriptional repression domain is the primary interaction surface. Our data suggest that regulation of MeCP2 metabolism might be of relevant importance; in accordance with this, previous results have shown that some Rett syndrome mutations are characterized by a decrease in MeCP2 stability.noneMeCP2 is the founder member of a family of methyl-CpG-binding proteins able to repress transcription from methylated DNA. To date, MeCP2 action seems to involve the delivery on modified DNA of histone deacetylase activity, followed by histone methylating activity. It has been recently demonstrated that MECP2 mutations cause Rett syndrome, a childhood neurological disorder that represents one of the most common causes of mental retardation in females. here we show that a novel Xenopus laevis protein of 20 kDa, p20, is able to interact in vivo and in vitro with MeCP2. The p20 sequence revealed that it belongs to the family of the WAP (whey acidic protein) proteins, often functioning as a protease inhibitor. Therefore, we asked whether the p20 can influence the MeCP2 half-life. We demonstrate that, indeed, the xp20 not only can significantly increase the stability of an exogenously expressed MeCP2 in Xenopus oocytes but also can stabilize the human endogenous MeCP2. The capability of the mammalian methyl-CpG-binding protein to interact with p20 is confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments performed overexpressing the WAP protein. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays reveal that the MeCP2 residues localized between the methyl-binding domain and the transcriptional repression domain is the primary interaction surface. Our data suggest that regulation of MeCP2 metabolism might be of relevant importance; in accordance with this, previous results have shown that some Rett syndrome mutations are characterized by a decrease in MeCP2 stability.S. Carro; A. Bergo; M. Mengoni; A. Bachi; G. Badaracco; C. Kilstrup-Nielsen; N. LandsbergerS., Carro; Bergo, Anna; M., Mengoni; A., Bachi; Badaracco, Gianfranco; KILSTRUP-NIELSEN, Charlotte; Landsberger, Nicolett

Retinoic Acid Receptor α Fusion to PML Affects Its Transcriptional and Chromatin-Remodeling Properties

PML-RAR is an oncogenic transcription factor forming in acute promyelocytic leukemias (APL) because of a chromosomal translocation. Without its ligand, retinoic acid (RA), PML-RAR functions as a constitutive transcriptional repressor, abnormally associating with the corepressor-histone deacetylase complex and blocking hematopoietic differentiation. In the presence of pharmacological concentrations of RA, PML-RAR activates transcription and stimulates differentiation. Even though it has been suggested that chromatin alteration is important for APL onset, the PML-RAR effect on chromatin of target promoters has not been investigated. Taking advantage of the Xenopus oocyte system, we compared the wild-type transcription factor RARα with PML-RAR as both transcriptional regulators and chromatin structure modifiers. Without RA, we found that PML-RAR is a more potent transcriptional repressor that does not require the cofactor RXR and produces a closed chromatin configuration. Surprisingly, repression by PML-RAR occurs through a further pathway that is independent of nucleosome deposition and histone deacetylation. In the presence of RA, PML-RAR is a less efficient transcriptional activator that is unable to modify the DNA nucleoprotein structure. We propose that PML-RAR, aside from its ability to recruit aberrant quantities of histone deacetylase complexes, has acquired additional repressive mechanisms and lost important activating functions; the comprehension of these mechanisms might reveal novel targets for antileukemic intervention

Oligomerization of RAR and AML1 transcription factors as a novel mechanism of oncogenic activation

RAR and AML1 transcription factors are found in leukemias as fusion proteins with PML and ETO, respectively. Association of PML-RAR and AML1-ETO with the nuclear corepressor (N-CoR)/histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex is required to block hematopoietic differentiation. We show that PML-RAR and AML1-ETO exist in vivo within high molecular weight (HMW) nuclear complexes, reflecting their oligomeric state. Oligomerization requires PML or ETO coiled-coil regions and is responsible for abnormal recruitment of N-CoR, transcriptional repression, and impaired differentiation of primary hematopoietic precursors. Fusion of RAR to a heterologous oligomerization domain recapitulated the properties of PML-RAR, indicating that oligomerization per se is sufficient to achieve transforming potential. These results show that oligomerization of a transcription factor, imposing an altered interaction with transcriptional coregulators, represents a novel mechanism of oncogenic activation

Molecole, cellule e organismi

Biologi