RRC ID 46713
著者 Bessler JB, Andersen EC, Villeneuve AM.
タイトル Differential localization and independent acquisition of the H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 chromatin modifications in the Caenorhabditis elegans adult germ line.
ジャーナル PLoS Genet
Abstract Histone methylation is a prominent feature of eukaryotic chromatin that modulates multiple aspects of chromosome function. Methyl modification can occur on several different amino acid residues and in distinct mono-, di-, and tri-methyl states. However, the interplay among these distinct modification states is not well understood. Here we investigate the relationships between dimethyl and trimethyl modifications on lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me2 and H3K9me3) in the adult Caenorhabditis elegans germ line. Simultaneous immunofluorescence reveals very different temporal/spatial localization patterns for H3K9me2 and H3K9me3. While H3K9me2 is enriched on unpaired sex chromosomes and undergoes dynamic changes as germ cells progress through meiotic prophase, we demonstrate here that H3K9me3 is not enriched on unpaired sex chromosomes and localizes to all chromosomes in all germ cells in adult hermaphrodites and until the primary spermatocyte stage in males. Moreover, high-copy transgene arrays carrying somatic-cell specific promoters are highly enriched for H3K9me3 (but not H3K9me2) and correlate with DAPI-faint chromatin domains. We further demonstrate that the H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 marks are acquired independently. MET-2, a member of the SETDB histone methyltransferase (HMTase) family, is required for all detectable germline H3K9me2 but is dispensable for H3K9me3 in adult germ cells. Conversely, we show that the HMTase MES-2, an E(z) homolog responsible for H3K27 methylation in adult germ cells, is required for much of the germline H3K9me3 but is dispensable for H3K9me2. Phenotypic analysis of met-2 mutants indicates that MET-2 is nonessential for fertility but inhibits ectopic germ cell proliferation and contributes to the fidelity of chromosome inheritance. Our demonstration of the differential localization and independent acquisition of H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 implies that the trimethyl modification of H3K9 is not built upon the dimethyl modification in this context. Further, these and other data support a model in which these two modifications function independently in adult C. elegans germ cells.
巻・号 6(1)
ページ e1000830
公開日 2010-1-22
DOI 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000830
PMID 20107519
PMC PMC2809760
MeSH Animals Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism* Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism Chromatin / genetics Chromatin / metabolism* Female Germ Cells / cytology Germ Cells / metabolism* Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism Histones / genetics Histones / metabolism* Male Methylation Mucoproteins / genetics Mucoproteins / metabolism Protein Transport Sex Chromosomes / genetics Sex Chromosomes / metabolism
IF 5.175
引用数 59
WOS 分野 GENETICS & HEREDITY
リソース情報
線虫 tm611 tm574