Replication-independent Histone Variants Research Articles

Circadian control of histone turnover during cardiac development and growth

During postnatal cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyocytes undergo mitotic exit, relying on DNA replication-independent mechanisms of histone turnover to maintain chromatin organization and gene transcription. In other tissues, circadian oscillations in nucleosome occupancy influence clock-controlled gene expression, suggesting a role for the circadian clock in temporal control of histone turnover and coordinated cardiomyocyte gene expression. To elucidate roles for the master circadian transcription factor, Bmal1, in histone turnover, chromatin organization, and myocyte-specific gene expression and cell growth in the neonatal period. Bmal1 knockdown in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) decreased myocyte size, total cellular protein synthesis, and transcription of the fetal hypertrophic gene Nppb following treatment with serum or the α-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine (PE). Depletion of Bmal1 decreased expression of clock-controlled genes Per2 and Tcap, as well as Sik1, a Bmal1 target upregulated in adult versus embryonic hearts. Bmal1 knockdown impaired Per2 and Sik1 promoter accessibility as measured by MNase-qPCR and impaired histone turnover as measured by metabolic labeling of acid-soluble chromatin fractions. Sik1 knockdown in turn decreased myocyte size, while simultaneously inhibiting Nppb transcription and activating Per2 transcription. Linking these changes to chromatin remodeling, depletion of the replication-independent histone variant H3.3a inhibited myocyte hypertrophy and prevented PE-induced changes in clock-controlled gene transcription. Bmal1 is required for neonatal myocyte growth, replication-independent histone turnover, and chromatin organization at the Sik1 promoter. Sik1 represents a novel clock-controlled gene that coordinates myocyte growth with hypertrophic and clock-controlled gene transcription. Replication-independent histone turnover is required for transcriptional remodeling of clock-controlled genes in cardiac myocytes in response to growth stimuli.

Histone Variants and Their Chaperones: An Emerging Epigenetic Mechanism in Neurodevelopment and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Neurodevelopment is a highly regulated process that relies on the precise regulation of gene expression. Numerous epigenetic mechanisms contribute and cooperate to ensure the proper execution of developmental gene expression programs. Indeed, disruption of the molecular machinery regulating the deposition or removal of epigenetics markers is associated with numerous neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. Among the various epigenetic marks that are fundamental for brain development, research has recently begun to focus on the role of histone variants and their associated chaperone proteins. Replication-independent histone variants can replace replication-dependent canonical histones in neuronal chromatin, giving nucleosomes unique properties that allow them to influence transcription. The deposition and removal of histone variants into neuronal chromatin are controlled by chaperone proteins that are integrated into chromatin remodelling complexes. Several studies report that the deposition and removal of histone variants by chaperone proteins from genes during development is pivotal for the regulation of gene expression, suggesting they are fundamental for neurodevelopment. This review will focus on the histone variants H2A.Z and H3.3, and the exclusive chaperones that regulate their dynamics, in gene expression during neurodevelopment and the progression of neurodevelopmental disorders.

An embryonic stem cell-specific heterochromatin state promotes core histone exchange in the absence of DNA accessibility

Nucleosome turnover concomitant with incorporation of the replication-independent histone variant H3.3 is a hallmark of regulatory regions in the animal genome. Nucleosome turnover is known to be universally linked to DNA accessibility and histone acetylation. In mouse embryonic stem cells, H3.3 is also highly enriched at interstitial heterochromatin, most prominently at intracisternal A-particle endogenous retroviral elements. Interstitial heterochromatin is established over confined domains by the TRIM28-KAP1/SETDB1 corepressor complex and has stereotypical features of repressive chromatin, such as H3K9me3 and recruitment of all HP1 isoforms. Here, we demonstrate that fast histone turnover and H3.3 incorporation is compatible with these hallmarks of heterochromatin. Further, we find that Smarcad1 chromatin remodeler evicts nucleosomes generating accessible DNA. Free DNA is repackaged via DAXX-mediated nucleosome assembly with histone variant H3.3 in this dynamic heterochromatin state. Loss of H3.3 in mouse embryonic stem cells elicits a highly specific opening of interstitial heterochromatin with minimal effects on other silent or active regions of the genome.

How to Tackle Challenging ChIP-Seq, with Long-Range Cross-Linking, Using ATRX as an Example.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with high-throughput, next-generation DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq) has enabled researchers to establish the genome-wide patterns of chromatin modifications and binding of chromatin-associated proteins. Well-established protocols produce robust ChIP-seq data for many proteins by sequencing the DNA obtained following immunoprecipitation of fragmented chromatin using a wide range of specific antibodies. In general, the quality of these data mainly depends on the specificity and avidity of the antibody used. However, even using optimal antibodies, ChIP-seq can become more challenging when the protein associates with chromatin via protein-protein interactions rather than directly binding DNA. An example of such a protein is the alpha-thalassaemia mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) protein; a chromatin remodeler that associates with the histone chaperone DAXX, in the deposition of the replication-independent histone variant H3.3 and plays an important role in maintaining chromatin integrity. Inherited mutations of ATRX cause syndromal mental retardation (ATR-X Syndrome) whereas acquired mutations are associated with myelodysplasia, acute myeloid leukemia (ATMDS syndrome), and a range of solid tumors. Therefore, high quality ChIP-seq data have been needed to analyze the genome-wide distribution of ATRX, to advance our understanding of its normal role and to comprehend how mutations contribute to human disease. Here, we describe an optimized ChIP-seq protocol for ATRX which can also be used to produce high quality data sets for other challenging proteins which are indirectly associated with DNA and complement the ChIP-seq toolkit for genome-wide analyses of histone chaperon complexes and associated chromatin remodelers. Although not a focus of this chapter, we will also provide some insight for the analysis of the large dataset generated by ChIP-seq. Even though this protocol has been fully optimized for ATRX, it should also provide guidance for efficient ChIP-seq analysis, using the appropriate antibodies, for other proteins interacting indirectly with DNA.

Accumulation of histone variant H3.3 with age is associated with profound changes in the histone methylation landscape

Deposition of replication-independent histone variant H3.3 into chromatin is essential for many biological processes, including development and reproduction. Unlike replication-dependent H3.1/2 isoforms, H3.3 is expressed throughout the cell cycle and becomes enriched in postmitotic cells with age. However, lifelong dynamics of H3 variant replacement and the impact of this process on chromatin organization remain largely undefined. Using quantitative middle-down proteomics we demonstrate that H3.3 accumulates to near saturation levels in the chromatin of various mouse somatic tissues by late adulthood. Accumulation of H3.3 is associated with profound changes in global levels of both individual and combinatorial H3 methyl modifications. A subset of these modifications exhibit distinct relative abundances on H3 variants and remain stably enriched on H3.3 throughout the lifespan, suggesting a causal relationship between H3 variant replacement and age-dependent changes in H3 methylation. Furthermore, the H3.3 level is drastically reduced in human hepatocarcinoma cells as compared to nontumoral hepatocytes, suggesting the potential utility of the H3.3 relative abundance as a biomarker of abnormal cell proliferation activity. Overall, our study provides the first quantitative characterization of dynamic changes in H3 proteoforms throughout lifespan in mammals and suggests a role for H3 variant replacement in modulating H3 methylation landscape with age.

Prevalence and clinicopathological features of H3.3 G34-mutant high-grade gliomas: a retrospective study of 411 consecutive glioma cases in a single institution.

A recurrent glycine-to-arginine/valine alteration at codon 34 (G34R/V) within H3F3A, a gene that encodes the replication-independent histone variant H3.3, reportedly occurs exclusively in pediatric glioblastomas. However, the clinicopathological and biological significances of this mutation have not been completely elucidated; especially, no such data exist for tumor samples from Japanese patients. We analyzed 411 consecutive glioma cases representing patients of all ages. Our results demonstrated that 14 patients (3.4%) harbored H3F3A mutations, of which four had G34R mutations and 10 had K27M mutations. G34R-mutant tumors were located in the parietal region in two patients and the basal ganglia in one patient. One patient showed multi-lobular extension similar to the pattern observed in gliomatosis cerebri. Regarding neuroradiological features, intratumoral calcification was evident in two cases and all cases showed no or scarce contrast enhancement on MRI. Histopathologically, the four G34R-mutant cases included three glioblastomas and one astroblastoma. We have also investigated alterations in histone methylation including H3K27me3, H3K9me3, and H3K4me3 in G34R-mutant samples by immunohistochemistry. These results indicate that G34R-mutant tumors are likely to show extensive infiltration and alterations in global histone trimethylation might also play an important role in G34R mutant tumors.

The role of variant histone H2AV in Drosophila melanogaster larval hematopoiesis.

Replication-independent histone variants can replace the canonical replication-dependent histones. Vertebrates have multiple H2A variant histones, including H2AZ and H2AX that are present in most eukaryotes. H2AZ regulates transcriptional activation as well as the maintenance of gene silencing, while H2AX is important in DNA damage repair. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has only one histone H2A variant (H2AV), which is a chimera of H2AZ and H2AX. In this study we found that lack of H2AV led to the formation of black melanotic masses in Drosophila third instar larvae. The formation of these masses was found in conjunction with a loss of the majority of the primary lymph gland lobes. Interestingly, the cells of the posterior signaling center were preserved in these mutants. Reduction of H2AV levels by RNAi knockdown caused a milder phenotype that preserved the lymph gland structure but that included precocious differentiation of the prohemocytes located within the medullary zone and the secondary lobes of the lymph gland. Mutant rescue experiments suggest that the H2AZ-like rather than the H2AX-like function of H2AV is primarily required for normal hematopoiesis.

Aberrant H3.3 dynamics in NAc promote vulnerability to depressive-like behavior

Human major depressive disorder (MDD), along with related mood disorders, is among the world's greatest public health concerns; however, its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Persistent changes in gene expression are known to promote physiological aberrations implicated in MDD. More recently, histone mechanisms affecting cell type- and regional-specific chromatin structures have also been shown to contribute to transcriptional programs related to depressive behaviors, as well as responses to antidepressants. Although much emphasis has been placed in recent years on roles for histone posttranslational modifications and chromatin-remodeling events in the etiology of MDD, it has become increasingly clear that replication-independent histone variants (e.g., H3.3), which differ in primary amino acid sequence from their canonical counterparts, similarly play critical roles in the regulation of activity-dependent neuronal transcription, synaptic connectivity, and behavioral plasticity. Here, we demonstrate a role for increased H3.3 dynamics in the nucleus accumbens (NAc)-a key limbic brain reward region-in the regulation of aberrant social stress-mediated gene expression and the precipitation of depressive-like behaviors in mice. We find that molecular blockade of these dynamics promotes resilience to chronic social stress and results in a partial renormalization of stress-associated transcriptional patterns in the NAc. In sum, our findings establish H3.3 dynamics as a critical, and previously undocumented, regulator of mood and suggest that future therapies aimed at modulating striatal histone dynamics may potentiate beneficial behavioral adaptations to negative emotional stimuli.

Replication-Independent Histone Variant H3.3 Controls Animal Lifespan through the Regulation of Pro-longevity Transcriptional Programs

SummaryChromatin structure orchestrates the accessibility to the genetic material. Replication-independent histone variants control transcriptional plasticity in postmitotic cells. The life-long accumulation of these histones has been described, yet the implications on organismal aging remain elusive. Here, we study the importance of the histone variant H3.3 in Caenorhabditis elegans longevity pathways. We show that H3.3-deficient nematodes have negligible lifespan differences compared to wild-type animals. However, H3.3 is essential for the lifespan extension of C. elegans mutants in which pronounced transcriptional changes control longevity programs. Notably, H3.3 loss critically affects the expression of a very large number of genes in long-lived nematodes, resulting in transcriptional profiles similar to wild-type animals. We conclude that H3.3 positively contributes to diverse lifespan-extending signaling pathways, with potential implications on age-related processes in multicellular organisms.

The cnidarian Hydractinia echinata employs canonical and highly adapted histones to pack its DNA.

BackgroundCnidarians are a group of early branching animals including corals, jellyfish and hydroids that are renowned for their high regenerative ability, growth plasticity and longevity. Because cnidarian genomes are conventional in terms of protein-coding genes, their remarkable features are likely a consequence of epigenetic regulation. To facilitate epigenetics research in cnidarians, we analysed the histone complement of the cnidarian model organism Hydractinia echinata using phylogenomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and mRNA in situ hybridisations.ResultsWe find that the Hydractinia genome encodes 19 histones and analyse their spatial expression patterns, genomic loci and replication-dependency. Alongside core and other replication-independent histone variants, we find several histone replication-dependent variants, including a rare replication-dependent H3.3, a female germ cell-specific H2A.X and an unusual set of five H2B variants, four of which are male germ cell-specific. We further confirm the absence of protamines in Hydractinia.ConclusionsSince no protamines are found in hydroids, we suggest that the novel H2B variants are pivotal for sperm DNA packaging in this class of Cnidaria. This study adds to the limited number of full histone gene complements available in animals and sets a comprehensive framework for future studies on the role of histones and their post-translational modifications in cnidarian epigenetics. Finally, it provides insight into the evolution of spermatogenesis.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13072-016-0085-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Nucleosome disassembly during human non-homologous end joining followed by concerted HIRA- and CAF-1-dependent reassembly.

The cell achieves DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in the context of chromatin structure. However, the mechanisms used to expose DSBs to the repair machinery and to restore the chromatin organization after repair remain elusive. Here we show that induction of a DSB in human cells causes local nucleosome disassembly, apparently independently from DNA end resection. This efficient removal of histone H3 from the genome during non-homologous end joining was promoted by both ATM and the ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeler INO80. Chromatin reassembly during DSB repair was dependent on the HIRA histone chaperone that is specific to the replication-independent histone variant H3.3 and on CAF-1 that is specific to the replication-dependent canonical histones H3.1/H3.2. Our data suggest that the epigenetic information is re-established after DSB repair by the concerted and interdependent action of replication-independent and replication-dependent chromatin assembly pathways.

Chromatin Dynamics in Vivo: A Game of Musical Chairs.

Histones are a major component of chromatin, the nucleoprotein complex fundamental to regulating transcription, facilitating cell division, and maintaining genome integrity in almost all eukaryotes. In addition to canonical, replication-dependent histones, replication-independent histone variants exist in most eukaryotes. In recent years, steady progress has been made in understanding how histone variants assemble, their involvement in development, mitosis, transcription, and genome repair. In this review, we will focus on the localization of the major histone variants H3.3, CENP-A, H2A.Z, and macroH2A, as well as how these variants have evolved, their structural differences, and their functional significance in vivo.

ATRX Plays a Key Role in Maintaining Silencing at Interstitial Heterochromatic Loci and Imprinted Genes.

SummaryHistone H3.3 is a replication-independent histone variant, which replaces histones that are turned over throughout the entire cell cycle. H3.3 deposition at euchromatin is dependent on HIRA, whereas ATRX/Daxx deposits H3.3 at pericentric heterochromatin and telomeres. The role of H3.3 at heterochromatic regions is unknown, but mutations in the ATRX/Daxx/H3.3 pathway are linked to aberrant telomere lengthening in certain cancers. In this study, we show that ATRX-dependent deposition of H3.3 is not limited to pericentric heterochromatin and telomeres but also occurs at heterochromatic sites throughout the genome. Notably, ATRX/H3.3 specifically localizes to silenced imprinted alleles in mouse ESCs. ATRX KO cells failed to deposit H3.3 at these sites, leading to loss of the H3K9me3 heterochromatin modification, loss of repression, and aberrant allelic expression. We propose a model whereby ATRX-dependent deposition of H3.3 into heterochromatin is normally required to maintain the memory of silencing at imprinted loci.

Transcription outcome of promoters enriched in histone variant H3.3 defined by positioning of H3.3 and local chromatin marks

Replication-independent histone variant H3.3 is incorporated into distinct genomic regions including promoters. However topology of promoter-associated H3.3 in relation to chromatin modifications and transcriptional outcome is not known, providing no insight on any distinction between H3.3-containing active and inactive promoters. Here, we report algorithms providing information on gene expression status as a function of density and position of multiple chromatin marks on promoters. We identify a relationship between promoter enrichment in epitope-tagged H3.3 or its canonical isoform H3.2 and corresponding transcriptional outcomes, as a function of sub-promoter positioning of DNA methylation and H3K4me3, H3K9me3 and H3K27me3. We identify a low-frequency configuration of H3.3 and H3K9me3 co-occupancy associated with transcriptional activity, while H3.3 and H3K27me3 promoters are invariably inactive. We unveil H3.3 and DNA methylated promoters whose transcription outcome depends on H3.3 sub-promoter positioning. Our results indicate how spatially restricted positioning of H3.3 may add another layer of transcription regulation.

Environmental responses mediated by histone variants.

Fluctuations in the ambient environment can trigger chromatin disruptions, involving replacement of nucleosomes or exchange of their histone subunits. Unlike canonical histones, which are available only during S-phase, replication-independent histone variants are present throughout the cell cycle and are adapted for chromatin repair. The H2A.Z variant mediates responses to environmental perturbations including fluctuations in temperature and seasonal variation. Phosphorylation of histone H2A.X rapidly marks double-strand DNA breaks for chromatin repair, which is mediated by both H2A and H3 histone variants. Other histones are used as weapons in conflicts between parasites and their hosts, which suggests broad involvement of histone variants in environmental responses beyond chromatin repair.

The activity-dependent histone variant H2BE modulates the life span of olfactory neurons.

We have identified a replication-independent histone variant, Hist2h2be (referred to herein as H2be), which is expressed exclusively by olfactory chemosensory neurons. Levels of H2BE are heterogeneous among olfactory neurons, but stereotyped according to the identity of the co-expressed olfactory receptor (OR). Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that changes in H2be expression affect olfactory function and OR representation in the adult olfactory epithelium. We show that H2BE expression is reduced by sensory activity and that it promotes neuronal cell death, such that inactive olfactory neurons display higher levels of the variant and shorter life spans. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of H2BE differ from those of the canonical H2B, consistent with a role for H2BE in altering transcription. We propose a physiological function for H2be in modulating olfactory neuron population dynamics to adapt the OR repertoire to the environment.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00070.001.