ISWI, a member of the SWl2/SNF2 ATPase family, encodes the 140 kDa subunit of the nucleosome remodeling factor

AbstractThe generation of an accessible heat shock promoter in chromatin in vitro requires the concerted action of the GAGA transcription factor and NURF, an ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling factor. NURF is composed of four subunits and is biochemically distinct from the SWI2/SNF2 multiprotein complex, a transcriptional activator that also appears to alter nucleosome structure. We have obtained protein microsequence and immunological evidence identifying the 140 kDa subunit of NURF as ISWI, previously of unknown function but highly related to SWI2/SNF2 only in the ATPase domain. The ISWI protein is localized to the cell nucleus and is expressed throughout Drosophila development at levels as high as 100,000 molecules/cell. The convergence of biochemical and genetic studies on ISWI and SWI2/SNF2 underscores these ATPases and their close relatives as key components of independent systems for chromatin remodeling

Drosophila Kismet Regulates Histone H3 Lysine 27 Methylation and Early Elongation by RNA Polymerase II

Polycomb and trithorax group proteins regulate cellular pluripotency and differentiation by maintaining hereditable states of transcription. Many Polycomb and trithorax group proteins have been implicated in the covalent modification or remodeling of chromatin, but how they interact with each other and the general transcription machinery to regulate transcription is not well understood. The trithorax group protein Kismet-L (KIS-L) is a member of the CHD subfamily of chromatin-remodeling factors that plays a global role in transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Mutations in CHD7, the human counterpart of kis, are associated with CHARGE syndrome, a developmental disorder affecting multiple tissues and organs. To clarify how KIS-L activates gene expression and counteracts Polycomb group silencing, we characterized defects resulting from the loss of KIS-L function in Drosophila. These studies revealed that KIS-L acts downstream of P-TEFb recruitment to stimulate elongation by Pol II. The presence of two chromodomains in KIS-L suggested that its recruitment or function might be regulated by the methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 by the trithorax group proteins ASH1 and TRX. Although we observed significant overlap between the distributions of KIS-L, ASH1, and TRX on polytene chromosomes, KIS-L did not bind methylated histone tails in vitro, and loss of TRX or ASH1 function did not alter the association of KIS-L with chromatin. By contrast, loss of kis function led to a dramatic reduction in the levels of TRX and ASH1 associated with chromatin and was accompanied by increased histone H3 lysine 27 methylation—a modification required for Polycomb group repression. A similar increase in H3 lysine 27 methylation was observed in ash1 and trx mutant larvae. Our findings suggest that KIS-L promotes early elongation and counteracts Polycomb group repression by recruiting the ASH1 and TRX histone methyltransferases to chromatin

The Kv2.1 K+ channel targets to the axon initial segment of hippocampal and cortical neurons in culture and in situ

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Kv2.1 delayed-rectifier K⁺channel regulates membrane excitability in hippocampal neurons where it targets to dynamic cell surface clusters on the soma and proximal dendrites. In the past, Kv2.1 has been assumed to be absent from the axon initial segment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Transfected and endogenous Kv2.1 is now demonstrated to preferentially accumulate within the axon initial segment (AIS) over other neurite processes; 87% of 14 DIV hippocampal neurons show endogenous channel concentrated at the AIS relative to the soma and proximal dendrites. In contrast to the localization observed in pyramidal cells, GAD positive inhibitory neurons within the hippocampal cultures did not show AIS targeting. Photoactivable-GFP-Kv2.1-containing clusters at the AIS were stable, moving <1 <it>μ</it>m/hr with no channel turnover. Photobleach studies indicated individual channels within the cluster perimeter were highly mobile (FRAP <it>τ </it>= 10.4 ± 4.8 sec), supporting our model that Kv2.1 clusters are formed by the retention of mobile channels behind a diffusion-limiting perimeter. Demonstrating that the AIS targeting is not a tissue culture artifact, Kv2.1 was found in axon initial segments within both the adult rat hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA3 layers and cortex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, Kv2.1 is associated with the axon initial segment both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>where it may modulate action potential frequency and back propagation. Since transfected Kv2.1 initially localizes to the AIS before appearing on the soma, it is likely multiple mechanisms regulate Kv2.1 trafficking to the cell surface.</p

Size of Cell-Surface Kv2.1 Domains is Governed by Growth Fluctuations

AbstractThe Kv2.1 voltage-gated potassium channel forms stable clusters on the surface of different mammalian cells. Even though these cell-surface structures have been observed for almost a decade, little is known about the mechanism by which cells maintain them. We measure the distribution of domain sizes to study the kinetics of their growth. Using a Fokker-Planck formalism, we find no evidence for a feedback mechanism present to maintain specific domain radii. Instead, the size of Kv2.1 clusters is consistent with a model where domain size is established by fluctuations in the trafficking machinery. These results are further validated using likelihood and Akaike weights to select the best model for the kinetics of domain growth consistent with our experimental data