Interactive histone acetylation and methylation in regulating transdifferentiation‐related genes during tunicate budding and regeneration. Issue 1 (24th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shibuya, Misa; Hatano, Mitzuki; Kawamura, Kaz
• Is Part Of: Developmental dynamics. Volume 244:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 10
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2014-10-24
• Subjects: Morphogenesis -- Periodicals; Anatomy -- Periodicals; Anatomie -- Périodiques; Biologie du développement -- Périodiques; 571.833
• DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24212
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1058-8388

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p> <underline>Background:</underline> In the budding tunicate <italic>Polyandrocarpa misakiensis</italic>, retinoic acid (RA)‐triggered transdifferentiation occurs during bud development and zooid regeneration. We aimed to reveal how and to what extent epigenetic histone modifications are involved in transdifferentiation‐related gene expression. <underline>Results:</underline> Acetylated histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9ac) was observed in transdifferentiating bud tissues and regenerating zooid tissues, where a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) gene, <italic>PmGCN5</italic>, was strongly expressed. Results of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) indicated that in transdifferentiating bud tissues, retinoic acid receptor (<italic>PmRAR</italic>), retinoid X receptor (<italic>PmRXR</italic>), external signal‐regulated kinase (<italic>PmERK</italic>), and β‐catenin (<italic>PmβCTN</italic>) genes conspicuously underwent H3K9 acetylation in their core promoter regions. RA was found to induce <italic>PmGCN5</italic>, causing histone acetylation of <italic>PmRAR</italic>, <italic>PmRXR</italic>, and <italic>PmERK</italic>. A GCN5 inhibitor, CPTH2, attenuated acetylation and weakened transcription of transdifferentiation‐related genes, except <italic>PmERK</italic>, indicating that RA‐induced GCN5 facilitates gene expression via histone acetylation. In regenerating zooids, H3K9ac occurred exclusively in <italic>PmERK</italic>, but <italic>PmERK</italic> expression did not change, and, surprisingly, the <italic>PmProhibitin2</italic> expression decreased substantially. In the core promoter regions of these genes, suppressive histone methylation occurred at H3K9 and H3K27. <underline>Conclusions:</underline> These results, along with other evidence, indicate that cooperative and conflicting histone modifications enable the minute regulation of gene expression in <italic>P</italic>. <italic>misakiensis</italic>. <italic>Developmental Dynamics 244:10–20, 2015</italic>. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </abstract>