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Histone H4 lysine 20 mono-methylation directly facilitates chromatin openness and promotes transcription of housekeeping genes

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Shoaib

    (University of Copenhagen
    Lahore University of Management Sciences)

  • Qinming Chen

    (Nanyang Technological University)

  • Xiangyan Shi

    (Nanyang Technological University)

  • Nidhi Nair

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Chinmayi Prasanna

    (Nanyang Technological University)

  • Renliang Yang

    (Nanyang Technological University
    Wilmar International Limited)

  • David Walter

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Klaus S. Frederiksen

    (Global Drug Discovery, Novo Nordisk A/S)

  • Hjorleifur Einarsson

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • J. Peter Svensson

    (Karolinska Institute)

  • Chuan Fa Liu

    (Nanyang Technological University)

  • Karl Ekwall

    (Karolinska Institute)

  • Mads Lerdrup

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Lars Nordenskiöld

    (Nanyang Technological University)

  • Claus S. Sørensen

    (University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

Histone lysine methylations have primarily been linked to selective recruitment of reader or effector proteins that subsequently modify chromatin regions and mediate genome functions. Here, we describe a divergent role for histone H4 lysine 20 mono-methylation (H4K20me1) and demonstrate that it directly facilitates chromatin openness and accessibility by disrupting chromatin folding. Thus, accumulation of H4K20me1 demarcates highly accessible chromatin at genes, and this is maintained throughout the cell cycle. In vitro, H4K20me1-containing nucleosomal arrays with nucleosome repeat lengths (NRL) of 187 and 197 are less compact than unmethylated (H4K20me0) or trimethylated (H4K20me3) arrays. Concordantly, and in contrast to trimethylated and unmethylated tails, solid-state NMR data shows that H4K20 mono-methylation changes the H4 conformational state and leads to more dynamic histone H4-tails. Notably, the increased chromatin accessibility mediated by H4K20me1 facilitates gene expression, particularly of housekeeping genes. Altogether, we show how the methylation state of a single histone H4 residue operates as a focal point in chromatin structure control. While H4K20me1 directly promotes chromatin openness at highly transcribed genes, it also serves as a stepping-stone for H4K20me3-dependent chromatin compaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Shoaib & Qinming Chen & Xiangyan Shi & Nidhi Nair & Chinmayi Prasanna & Renliang Yang & David Walter & Klaus S. Frederiksen & Hjorleifur Einarsson & J. Peter Svensson & Chuan Fa Liu & Karl Ek, 2021. "Histone H4 lysine 20 mono-methylation directly facilitates chromatin openness and promotes transcription of housekeeping genes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-25051-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25051-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Rajashree A. Deshpande & Alberto Marin-Gonzalez & Hannah K. Barnes & Phillip R. Woolley & Taekjip Ha & Tanya T. Paull, 2023. "Genome-wide analysis of DNA-PK-bound MRN cleavage products supports a sequential model of DSB repair pathway choice," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Haili Bao & Yang Sun & Na Deng & Leilei Zhang & Yuanyuan Jia & Gaizhen Li & Yun Gao & Xinyi Li & Yedong Tang & Han Cai & Jinhua Lu & Haibin Wang & Wenbo Deng & Shuangbo Kong, 2024. "PR-SET7 epigenetically restrains uterine interferon response and cell death governing proper postnatal stromal development," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Ting Zhang & Carsten Künne & Dong Ding & Stefan Günther & Xinyue Guo & Yonggang Zhou & Xuejun Yuan & Thomas Braun, 2022. "Replication collisions induced by de-repressed S-phase transcription are connected with malignant transformation of adult stem cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.

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