Browsing by Author "Reinhardt, Richard"

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Open Access
Application of dual reading domains as novel reagents in chromatin biology reveals a new H3K9me3 and H3K36me2/3 bivalent chromatin state
(2017) Mauser, Rebekka; Kungulovski, Goran; Keup, Corinna; Reinhardt, Richard; Jeltsch, Albert
Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) play central roles in chromatin-templated processes. Combinations of two or more histone PTMs form unique interfaces for readout and recruitment of chromatin-interacting complexes, but the genome-wide mapping of co-existing histone PTMs remains an experimentally difficult task. We introduce here a novel type of affinity reagents consisting of two fused recombinant histone modification interacting domains (HiMID) for direct detection of doubly modified chromatin. To develop the method, we fused the MPP8 Chromodomain and DNMT3A PWWP domain which have a binding specificity for H3K9me3 and H3K36me2/3, respectively. We validate the novel reagent biochemically and in ChIP applications and show its specific interaction with H3K9me3-H3K36me2/3 doubly modified chromatin. Modification specificity was confirmed using mutant double-HiMIDs with inactivated methyllysine binding pockets. Using this novel tool, we mapped co-existing H3K9me3-H3K36me2/3 marks in human cells by chromatin interaction domain precipitation (CIDOP). CIDOP-seq data were validated by qPCR, sequential CIDOP/ChIP and by comparison with CIDOP- and ChIP-seq data obtained with single modification readers and antibodies. The genome-wide distribution of H3K9me3-H3K36me2/3 indicates that it represents a novel bivalent chromatin state, which is enriched in weakly transcribed chromatin segments and at ZNF274 and SetDB1 binding sites.
Open Access
H3K14ac is linked to methylation of H3K9 by the triple Tudor domain of SETDB1
(2017) Jurkowska, Renata Z.; Qin, Su; Kungulovski, Goran; Tempel, Wolfgang; Liu, Yanli; Bashtrykov, Pavel; Stiefelmaier, Judith; Jurkowski, Tomasz P.; Kudithipudi, Srikanth; Weirich, Sara; Tamas, Raluca; Wu, Hong; Dombrovski, Ludmila; Loppnau, Peter; Reinhardt, Richard; Min, Jinrong; Jeltsch, Albert
SETDB1 is an essential H3K9 methyltransferase involved in silencing of retroviruses and gene regulation. We show here that its triple Tudor domain (3TD) specifically binds to doubly modified histone H3 containing K14 acetylation and K9 methylation. Crystal structures of 3TD in complex with H3K14ac/K9me peptides reveal that peptide binding and K14ac recognition occurs at the interface between Tudor domains (TD) TD2 and TD3. Structural and biochemical data demonstrate a pocket switch mechanism in histone code reading, because K9me1 or K9me2 is preferentially recognized by the aromatic cage of TD3, while K9me3 selectively binds to TD2. Mutations in the K14ac/K9me binding sites change the subnuclear localization of 3TD. ChIP-seq analyses show that SETDB1 is enriched at H3K9me3 regions and K9me3/K14ac is enriched at SETDB1 binding sites overlapping with LINE elements, suggesting that recruitment of the SETDB1 complex to K14ac/K9me regions has a role in silencing of active genomic regions.
Open Access
Targeted epigenome editing of an endogenouslocus with chromatin modifiers is not stably maintained
(2015) Kungulovski, Goran; Nunna, Suneetha; Thomas, Maria; Zanger, Ulrich M.; Reinhardt, Richard; Jeltsch, Albert
Background: DNA methylation and histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation are considered as epigenetic marks that can be inherited through cell divisions. To explore the functional consequences and stability of these modifications, we employed targeted installment of DNA methylation and H3K9 methylation in the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) promoter using catalytic domains of DNA or H3K9 methyltransferases that are fused to a zinc finger protein which binds a site in the VEGF-A promoter. Results: Expression of the targeted DNA and H3K9 methyltransferases caused dense deposition of DNA methylation or H3K9 di- and trimethylation in the promoter of VEGF-A and downregulation of VEGF-A gene expression. We did not observe positive feedback between DNA methylation and H3K9 methylation. Upon loss of the targeted methyltransferases from the cells, the epigenetic marks, chromatin environment, and gene expression Levels returned to their original state, indicating that both methylation marks were not stably propagated after their installment. Conclusions: The clear anti-correlation between DNA or H3K9 methylation and gene expression suggests a direct role of these marks in transcriptional control. The lack of maintenance of the transiently induced silenced chromatin state suggests that the stability of epigenetic signaling is based on an epigenetic network consisting of several molecular marks. Therefore, for stable reprogramming, either multivalent deposition of functionally related epigenetic marks or longer-lasting trigger stimuli might be necessary.
Open Access
Targeted methylation of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) promoter to silence its expression in ovarian cancer cells
(2014) Nunna, Suneetha; Reinhardt, Richard; Ragozin, Sergey; Jeltsch, Albert
The Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed in many cancers including ovarian cancer and EpCAM overexpression correlates with decreased survival of patients. It was the aim of this study to achieve a targeted methylation of the EpCAM promoter and silence EpCAM gene expression using an engineered zinc finger protein that specifically binds the EpCAM promoter fused to the catalytic domain of the Dnmt3a DNA methyltransferase. We show that transient transfection of this construct increased the methylation of the EpCAM promoter in SKOV3 cells from 4–8% in untreated cells to 30%. Up to 48% methylation was observed in stable cell lines which express the chimeric methyltransferase. Control experiments confirmed that the methylation was dependent on the fusion of the Zinc finger and the methyltransferase domains and specific for the target region. The stable cell lines with methylated EpCAM promoter showed a 60–80% reduction of EpCAM expression as determined at mRNA and protein level and exhibited a significantly reduced cell proliferation. Our data indicate that targeted methylation of the EpCAM promoter could be an approach in the therapy of EpCAM overexpressing cancers.