RNA interference guides histone modification during the S phase of chromosomal replication

Kloc, A., Zaratiegui, M., Nora, E., Martienssen, R. (April 2008) RNA interference guides histone modification during the S phase of chromosomal replication. Current biology, 18 (7). pp. 490-5. ISSN 0960-9822 (Print)0960-9822 (Linking)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18394897
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.03.016

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Heterochromatin is chromosomal material that remains condensed throughout the cell division cycle and silences genes nearby. It is found in almost all eukaryotes, and although discovered (in plants) almost 100 years ago, the mechanism by which heterochromatin is inherited has remained obscure. Heterochromatic silencing and histone H3 lysine-9 methylation (H3K9me2) depend, paradoxically, on heterochromatic transcription and RNA interference (RNAi). RESULTS: Here, we show that heterochromatin protein 1 in fission yeast (Swi6) is lost via phosphorylation of H3 serine 10 (H3S10) during mitosis, allowing heterochromatic transcripts to transiently accumulate in S phase. Rapid processing of these transcripts into small interfering RNA (siRNA) promotes restoration of H3K9me2 and Swi6 after replication when cohesin is recruited. We also show that RNAi in fission yeast is inhibited at high temperatures, providing a plausible mechanism for epigenetic phenomena that depend on replication and temperature, such as vernalization in plants and position effect variegation in animals. CONCLUSIONS: These results explain how "silent" heterochromatin can be transcribed and lead to a model for epigenetic inheritance during replication.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Chromosomal Protein Non-Histone metabolism DNA Replication physiology Heterochromatin metabolism Histones metabolism Hot Temperature RNA Interference S Phasephysiology Schizosaccharomyces metabolism Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins metabolism
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > RNAi
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > epigenetics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > epigenetics
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Martienssen lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 8 April 2008
Date Deposited: 25 Feb 2013 16:41
Last Modified: 25 Feb 2013 16:41
PMCID: PMC2408823
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27614

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