植物组蛋白赖氨酸甲基化研究进展

组蛋白甲基化修饰在真核生物的表观遗传调控中具有重要作用．SET结构域蛋白质可以特异地甲基化修饰组蛋白的赖氨酸残基,进而促进或抑制基因的表达．有关SET结构域蛋白质和组蛋白赖氨酸甲基化的研究为深入了解染色质结构和功能提供了重要信息．文中综述了组蛋白赖氨酸甲基化修饰在植物中的最新进展,探讨了SET结构域蛋白质在植物生长发育调控中的重要作用．     

组蛋白去甲基化酶JHDM1的晶体结构研究

组蛋白甲基化是表观遗传修饰方式中的一种,参与异染色质形成、基因印记、X染色体失活和基因转录调控。组蛋白甲基化过程的异常参与多种肿瘤的发生。既往认为组蛋白甲基化是稳定的表观遗传标记,然而最近许多组蛋白特异性去甲基化酶的发现对这一观点提出了挑战。JHDM1是第一个被发现含有JmjC结构域的组蛋白去甲基化酶,它能够特异性地除去H3赖氨酸36位二甲基化和一甲基化修饰,但是不能去除H3赖氨酸36位三甲基化修饰。为了从分子水平上揭示JHDM1的去甲基化催化机理,我们解析了hJHDM1A及其与α-酮戊二酸复合的晶体结构。结构比较揭示α-酮戊二酸的结合能够稳定围绕活性中心的柔性环,这一构像变化对于hJHDM1A发挥去甲基化活性是非常重要的。结合突变试验结果,我们提出了底物的潜在结合位点,结构分析也揭示高度保守的S145对于区分不同的赖氨酸甲基化程度起重要作用。     

国外期刊亮点

正破译"组蛋白密码"识别新机制清华大学医学院基础医学系和结构生物学中心XXiiaaoonnaann SSuu等从结构生物学角度解析组蛋白甲基化修饰识别新机制,进一步探索了表观遗传调控研究。研究成果发表于3月15日出版的GenesDev。该研究报道了Spindlin1蛋白特异识别一种新型组蛋白甲基化修饰组合H3"K4me3─R8me2a"的分子结构基础,并结合细胞生物学研究,探讨了该识别在结肠癌Wnt信号通路中的激活调控作用。结构研究表明Spindlin1分别通过串联Spin/Ssty结构域2和1特异性识别组蛋白H3K4me3和H3R8me2a甲基化修饰;利用等温量热滴定法测定该识别的结合常数高达45 nmol,是目前已报导的结合力最强的组蛋白修饰识别事件,充分显示了组蛋白修饰多价态识别的潜力。     

组蛋白H3K36位点甲基转移酶识别组蛋白底物的分子机制研究进展

组蛋白H3第36位赖氨酸的甲基化修饰在染色质上含量丰富,与活跃转录以及DNA损伤修复等重要生理过程相关．H3K36位点可以被一甲基化、二甲基化和三甲基化3种形式修饰,目前已知的负责组蛋白H3K36三甲基化修饰的人源蛋白是SETD2,负责组蛋白H3K36二甲基化修饰的酶包含NSD1、NSD2和NSD3和ASH1L共4名成员．这些H3K36甲基转移酶都具有非常特异的H3K36位点选择性,因此,对调控体内H3K36甲基化修饰的水平和分布十分重要．此外,它们的表达异常与人类的多种疾病相关．因此,解析组蛋白H3K36甲基转移酶识别并修饰组蛋白底物的分子机制,对揭示这些酶参与的表观遗传调控机制及其在体内的生理功能都具有十分重要的意义．早期的研究使得人们对组蛋白H3K36甲基转移酶催化底物的机制有了较深入的认识,但是由于解析的修饰酶与底物复合物的结构较少,对这些酶特异识别组蛋白底物分子机制的认识尚有很多不足．近年来,随着冷冻电镜技术的应用,H3K36甲基转移酶与核小体底物的复合物结构相继取得了突破,极大地推进了人们对这些酶识别并催化组蛋白底物分子机制的认识．本文以这几个组蛋白H3K36甲基转移酶为主要目标,对其分子机制的最新进展进行介绍总结．      

G9a对TMS1基因表观调控作用的研究

为探究组蛋白H3K9me2催化酶G9a对甲基化诱导静止基因1(Target of Methylation induced gene Silencing 1, TMS1)的表观调控作用, 通过染色质免疫共沉淀实验检测G9a在TMS1基因启动子区域的结合情况, 然后构建shRNA表达载体转入细胞敲低G9a, 检测TMS1启动子区域组蛋白H3K9me2修饰程度与TMS1 mRNA表达水平.研究结果显示G9a在TMS1基因启动子区域有结合, 敲低G9a后, TMS1基因启动子区域H3K9me2抑制性修饰程度降低, TMS1 mRNA表达水平上升.此结果表明G9a可能通过在TMS1基因启动子区域产生H3K9me2抑制性修饰的方式参与了TMS1基因的表观调控.     

人类K562细胞系中组蛋白修饰的调控分析

利用10种组蛋白修饰和1种组蛋白变体的ChIP-seq数据,统计了K562细胞系和GM12878细胞系中11种组蛋白修饰在癌基因启动子区域的分布.比较了两个细胞系中致癌基因和抑癌基因启动子区域的组蛋白修饰分布密度,并计算了11种组蛋白修饰与基因表达的相关性,分别在致癌基因和抑癌基因中构建了组蛋白修饰和基因表达的多元线性回归方程,从而发现K562细胞系中癌症发生过程中组蛋白修饰的调控特征.最后对K562细胞系中超级增强子调控的致癌基因和抑癌基因进行GO功能分析,研究这些基因的生物学功能,进一步找出K562细胞系中癌症发生的5个关键基因GATA1、GATA2、H3F3B、LYL1和SH_2B3.     

组蛋白甲基化修饰在小鼠早期胚胎发育中的建立与调控

 组蛋白修饰作为重要的表观遗传修饰，在调控胚胎基因表达、胚胎细胞的命运决定及胚胎基因组的稳定性等方面均起了很重要的作用。微量测序技术的发展使从全基因组水平上检测植入前胚胎的组蛋白修饰成为可能。综述了近年来利用该技术对小鼠早期胚胎发育过程中的组蛋白甲基化修饰研究的最新进展，总结了在胚胎基因激活及第一次细胞分化过程中组蛋白H3K4me3和H3K27me3修饰不同的建立和动态变化趋势，这些研究为探索胚胎发育和细胞分化的表观调控机制奠定了基础。     

拟南芥组蛋白甲基转移酶SDG8参与干旱胁迫调控（英文）

植物在生长发育和适应外界干旱胁迫过程中组蛋白的共价修饰发生着动态变化.然而,参与干旱胁迫的组蛋白修饰酶目前知之甚少.我们发现,拟南芥中负责H3第36位赖氨酸二甲基化和三甲基化的甲基转移酶SDG8参与干旱胁迫过程.转录组分析表明SDG8突变导致一系列基因的转录水平发生变化,其中包括与盐、冷、干旱胁迫有关的基因.功能缺失的SDG8呈现出更快的蒸腾作用、较大的气孔直径、对ABA处理的敏感性降低以及对干旱胁迫的耐受性降低等表型.总之,我们的研究表明SDG8可能是参与干旱胁迫过程的一个新的关键因子.     

组蛋白赖氨酸甲基转移酶DOT1L抑制剂分子水平高通量筛选模型的建立

类端粒沉默干扰体1(disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like,DOT1L)是一种能够催化组蛋白H3第79位赖氨酸(H3K79)发生甲基化修饰的表观遗传调控酶,是第一个被发现不含有SET结构域的赖氨酸甲基转移酶.H3K79位点的甲基化程度能够影响和调控某些特定基因的表达,与急性髄性白血病(acute myelocytic leukemia,AML)的发生与发展密切相关.为建立一种分子水平DOT1L小分子抑制剂的高通量筛选模型,以EPZ-5676为阳性化合物,探讨最佳反应酶浓度、底物浓度及反应时间等,并对优化后的反应体系进行检测和确认.通过对多种参数优化使得高通量筛选体系的Z'因子达到0.54,表明已成功建立了DOT1L小分子抑制剂高通量筛选模型.     

低氧与表观遗传学互作的研究进展

表观遗传学是指基因组DNA序列不发生改变的情况下,基因表达水平发生变化从而导致的可遗传表型变化的现象.表观遗传可通过与低氧诱导因子(HIF)家族协同作用,以促使细胞适应低氧环境,从而参与到低氧应答的调控过程中.现就表观遗传学通过以下四个方面与低氧应答进行综述:1)VHL与PDH3调控HIF稳定性;2)通过影响HIF-1α共激活复合物的活性、HRE位点的修饰、HIF结合位点或附近区域的染色质活性,阻止HIF与HRE位点结合;3)组蛋白脱甲基酶对低氧应答相关基因的转录调控;4)低氧环境引起细胞内整体的组蛋白修饰程度和DNA甲基化水平改变.     

A linked genetic marker for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A on chromosome 10

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is an autosomal dominantly inherited cancer syndrome characterized by medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, phaeochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidism. Almost all gene carriers can be detected by screening tests before the age of 40, but the nature and location of the predisposing gene are unknown. Simpson et al. recently reported preliminary evidence for linkage between the DNA probe p9-12A on chromosome 10 and MEN2A. We now report linkage between the MEN2A locus and the interstitial retinol-binding protein gene, which is located on chromosome 10p11.2-q11.2.     

Deletion of genes on chromosome 1 in endocrine neoplasia

Recent studies have identified normal cellular DNA sequences which are lost in the development of embryonal and adult tumours. These tumours are thought to arise after a primary mutation in one allele of such a sequence is followed by loss of its normal homologue. In familial cases, the primary mutation is transmitted in the germ line. The secondary mutation may involve a substantial loss of chromosomal material and thus lead to identification of the site of the inherited mutation. We have examined constitutional and tumour genotypes of medullary thyroid carcinomas and phaeochromocytomas which develop in the dominantly inherited cancer syndrome multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) to locate the predisposing gene in this syndrome. We observed deletion of a hypervariable region of DNA on the short arm of chromosome 1 in seven out of fourteen tumours. Analysis of the parental origin of the deleted allele in two families showed that it was derived from the affected parent in one case, which suggests that the deletion does not reflect the site of the inherited mutation in MEN2. The deleted region is distal to the breakpoint commonly detected in neuroblastomas, which share with the tumours of MEN2 embryological origin from neuroectoderm.     

Assignment of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A to chromosome 10 by linkage

Multiple endocrine neoplasis type 2A (MEN2A) is one of several kinds of cancers that appear to be inherited in an autosomally dominant fashion. We have assigned the MEN2A locus to chromosome 10 by linkage with a new DNA marker (D10S5). The linkage led us to investigate other chromosome 10 markers and demonstrate linkage between the disease locus and the interstitial retinol-binding protein (IRBP) gene. The D10S5 locus was sublocalized to 10q21.1 by hybridization in situ and the IRBP gene to p11.2----q11.2 with a secondary site at q24----q25. The linkages were established using 292 members of five families, three different restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) at D10S5 and two RFLPs recognized by the IRBP probe. The recombination frequencies from pairwise linkage analysis between the disease and two marker loci D10S5 and IRBP were 0.19 and 0.11, with maximum lod scores of 3.6 and 8.0 respectively. Ordering of the three loci by multipoint analysis placed the IRBP gene approximately midway between the disease and D10S5 loci.     

从罕见内分泌疾病研究看精准内分泌学的发展

 罕见病指患病率低于7/10000的疾病,是精准医学研究的重要生物学模板和理想平台。多发性内分泌腺瘤综合征（MEN）、新生儿糖尿病、库欣氏综合征、先天性瘦素缺乏症等多种罕见内分泌疾病研究都反映了精准医学在内分泌领域的作用。在此基础上,本文进一步概括精准内分泌学的发展方向,在骨质疏松症、糖尿病、肥胖等内分泌疾病中应用精准医学,有助于对个体发病风险进行评估和预防,对复杂疾病进行精确诊断及分型,对疾病进行个体化治疗。此外,医学信息学在精准内分泌学领域的应用不仅可推动大数据平台建设,也提供了针对多因素复杂内分泌疾病的诊疗新思路。随着分子生物学技术的发展,建立罕见内分泌疾病的基因型和表型大数据平台,对于实现罕见内分泌疾病的精准诊疗具有重要意义。     

Notch signalling controls pancreatic cell differentiation.

The pancreas contains both exocrine and endocrine cells, but the molecular mechanisms controlling the differentiation of these cell types are largely unknown. Despite their endodermal origin, pancreatic endocrine cells share several molecular characteristics with neurons, and, like neurons in the central nervous system, differentiating endocrine cells in the pancreas appear in a scattered fashion within a field of progenitor cells. This indicates that they may be generated by lateral specification through Notch signalling. Here, to test this idea, we analysed pancreas development in mice genetically altered at several steps in the Notch signalling pathway. Mice deficient for Delta-like gene 1 (Dll1) or the intracellular mediator RBP-Jkappa showed accelerated differentiation of pancreatic endocrine cells. A similar phenotype was observed in mice over-expressing neurogenin 3 (ngn 3) or the intracellular form of Notch3 (a repressor of Notch signalling). These data provide evidence that ngn3 acts as proendocrine gene and that Notch signalling is critical for the decision between the endocrine and progenitor/exocrine fates in the developing pancreas.     

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 gene maps to chromosome 11 and is lost in insulinoma

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) is a predisposition to hyperplasia of the parathyroid glands, and to hyperplasia or tumours of the anterior pituitary and the endocrine pancreas, and is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Here we map the MEN-1 locus to chromosome 11 by family studies, and demonstrate tight linkage with the human muscle phosphorylase gene. By comparing constitutional and tumour tissue genotypes of insulinomas from a pair of brothers who had inherited MEN-1 from their mother, we have shown that oncogenesis in these cases involves unmasking of a recessive mutation at this locus.