Analyzing the Interaction of RBPJ with Mitotic Chromatin and Its Impact on Transcription Reactivation upon Mitotic Exit

Methods Mol Biol. 2022:2472:95-108. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2201-8_9.

Abstract

The sequence-specific transcription factor RBPJ, also known as CSL (CBF1, Su(H), Lag1), is an evolutionarily conserved protein that mediates Notch signaling to guide cell fates. When cells enter mitosis, DNA is condensed and most transcription factors dissociate from chromatin; however, a few, select transcription factors, termed bookmarking factors, remain associated. These mitotic chromatin-bound factors are believed to play important roles in maintaining cell fates through cell division. RBPJ is one such factor that remains mitotic chromatin associated and therefore could function as a bookmarking factor. Here, we describe how to obtain highly purified mitotic cells from the mouse embryonal carcinoma cell line F9, perform chromatin immunoprecipitation with mitotic cells, and measure the first run of RNA synthesis upon mitotic exit. These methods serve as basis to understand the roles of mitotic bookmarking by RBPJ in propagating Notch signals through cell division.

Keywords: Chromatin immunoprecipitation; Mitotic bookmarking; Mouse embryonal carcinoma cells; Nascent RNA transcription; Notch signaling; Purification of mitotic cells; RBPJ.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatin* / genetics
  • Chromosomes* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mitosis
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein
  • Rbpj protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factors