Transitions in Distinct Histone H3 Methylation Patterns at the Heterochromatin Domain Boundaries

作者：Ken-ichi Noma, C. David Allis, Shiv I. S. Grewal · 发表于：Science · 年份：2001 · DOI：10.1126/science.1064150 · 被引用次数：754 · 研究领域：Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics、Epigenetics and DNA Methylation、Cancer-related gene regulation

Eukaryotic genomes are organized into discrete structural and functional chromatin domains. Here, we show that distinct site-specific histone H3 methylation patterns define euchromatic and heterochromatic chromosomal domains within a 47-kilobase region of the mating-type locus in fission yeast. H3 methylated at lysine 9 (H3 Lys9), and its interacting Swi6 protein, are strictly localized to a 20-kilobase silent heterochromatic interval. In contrast, H3 methylated at lysine 4 (H3 Lys4) is specific to the surrounding euchromatic regions. Two inverted repeats flanking the silent interval serve as boundary elements to mark the borders between heterochromatin and euchromatin. Deletions of these boundary elements lead to spreading of H3 Lys9 methylation and Swi6 into neighboring sequences. Furthermore, the H3 Lys9 methylation and corresponding heterochromatin-associated complexes prevent H3 Lys4 methylation in the silent domain.