Methylation patterns of histone H3 Lys 4, Lys 9 and Lys 27 in transcriptionally active and inactive Arabidopsis genes and in atx1 mutants

Nucleic Acids Res. 2005 Sep 12;33(16):5199-207. doi: 10.1093/nar/gki830. Print 2005.

Abstract

Covalent modifications of histone-tail amino acid residues communicate information via a specific 'histone code'. Here, we report histone H3-tail lysine methylation profiles of several Arabidopsis genes in correlation with their transcriptional activity and the input of the epigenetic factor ARABIDOPSIS HOMOLOG OF TRITHORAX (ATX1) at ATX1-regulated loci. By chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, we compared modification patterns of a constitutively expressed housekeeping gene, of a tissue-specific gene, and among genes that differed in degrees of transcriptional activity. Our results suggest that the di-methylated isoform of histone H3-lysine4 (m2K4/H3) provide a general mark for gene-related sequences distinguishing them from non-transcribed regions. Lys-4 (K4/H3), lys-9 (K9/H3) and lys-27 (K27/H3) nucleosome methylation patterns of plant genes may be gene-, tissue- or development-regulated. Absence of nucleosomes from the LTP-promotor was not sufficient to provoke robust transcription in mutant atx1-leaf chromatin, suggesting that the mechanism repositioning nucleosomes at transition to flowering functioned independently of ATX1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / physiology*
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Histones / metabolism*
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Methylation
  • Mutation
  • Nucleosomes / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • Histones
  • Nucleosomes
  • Transcription Factors
  • At2g31650 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Lysine