Cell Cycle Regulation by the PRMT6 Arginine Methyltransferase through Repression of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors

PRMT6 belongs to the family of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase (PRMT) enzymes that catalyze the methylation of guanidino nitrogens of arginine residues. PRMT6 has been shown to modify the tail of histone H3, but the in vivo function of PRMT6 is largely unknown. Here, we show that PRMT6 regulates cell cycle progression. Knockdown of PRMT6 expression in the human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS results in an accumulation of cells at the G2 checkpoint. Loss of PRMT6 coincides with upregulation of p21 and p27, two members of the CIP/KIP family of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors. Gene expression and promoter analysis show that p21 and p27 are direct targets of PRMT6, which involves methylation of arginine-2 of histone H3. Our findings imply arginine methylation of histones by PRMT6 in cell cycle regulation.     

The Testis-Specific Factor CTCFL Cooperates with the Protein Methyltransferase PRMT7 in H19 Imprinting Control Region Methylation

Expression of imprinted genes is restricted to a single parental allele as a result of epigenetic regulation—DNA methylation and histone modifications. Igf2/H19 is a reciprocally imprinted locus exhibiting paternal Igf2 and maternal H19 expression. Their expression is regulated by a paternally methylated imprinting control region (ICR) located between the two genes. Although the de novo DNA methyltransferases have been shown to be necessary for the establishment of ICR methylation, the mechanism by which they are targeted to the region remains unknown. We demonstrate that CTCFL/BORIS, a paralog of CTCF, is an ICR-binding protein expressed during embryonic male germ cell development, coinciding with the timing of ICR methylation. PRMT7, a protein arginine methyltransferase with which CTCFL interacts, is also expressed during embryonic testis development. Symmetrical dimethyl arginine 3 of histone H4, a modification catalyzed by PRMT7, accumulates in germ cells during this developmental period. This modified histone is also found enriched in both H19 ICR and Gtl2 differentially methylated region (DMR) chromatin of testis by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. In vitro studies demonstrate that CTCFL stimulates the histone-methyltransferase activity of PRMT7 via interactions with both histones and PRMT7. Finally, H19 ICR methylation is demonstrated by nuclear co-injection of expression vectors encoding CTCFL, PRMT7, and the de novo DNA methyltransferases, Dnmt3a, -b and -L, in Xenopus oocytes. These results suggest that CTCFL and PRMT7 may play a role in male germline imprinted gene methylation.     

PRMT1 Arginine Methyltransferase Accumulates in Cytoplasmic Bodies that Respond to Selective Inhibition and DNA Damage

Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are responsible for symmetric and asymmetric methylation of arginine residues of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. In the nucleus, PRMTs belong to important chromatin modifying enzymes of immense functional significance that affect gene expression, splicing and DNA repair. By time-lapse microscopy we have studied the sub-cellular localization and kinetics of PRMT1 after inhibition of PRMT1 and after irradiation. Both transiently expressed and endogenous PRMT1 accumulated in cytoplasmic bodies that were located in the proximity of the cell nucleus. The shape and number of these bodies were stable in untreated cells. However, when cell nuclei were microirradiated by UV-A, the mobility of PRMT1 cytoplasmic bodies increased their, size was reduced, and they disappeared within approximately 20 min. The same response occurred after γ-irradiation of the whole cell population, but with delayed kinetics. Treatment with PRMT1 inhibitors induced disintegration of these PRMT1 cytoplasmic bodies and prevented formation of 53BP1 nuclear bodies (NBs) that play a role during DNA damage repair. The formation of 53BP1 NBs was not influenced by PRMT1 over-expression. Taken together, we show that PRMT1 concentrates in cytoplasmic bodies, which respond to DNA injury in the cell nucleus, and to treatment with various PRMT1 inhibitors.     

精氨酸甲基转移酶1和核因子кB在哮喘豚鼠中的表达变化

目的:探讨共激活因子相关的精氨酸甲基转移酶1和核因子-кB在豚鼠支气管哮喘模型气道和肺组织的表达变化.方法:24只白色雄性豚鼠随机分为:①正常对照组;②哮喘组.卵清蛋白致敏并激发后采用间接免疫荧光法检测气道及肺组织精氨酸甲基转移酶1和核因子NF-кB(P65)的表达水平,探讨其在哮喘中可能的作用机制.结果:CARM1和NF-кB(P65)在对照组和哮喘组均有阳性表达,主要在支气管-终末细支气管上皮细胞和肺组织成纤维细胞胞核表达.正常对照组和哮喘组CARM1和NF-кB(P65)的表达差异均有统计学意义.结论:在哮喘豚鼠气道上皮及肺组织CARM1和NF-кB(P65)在细胞胞核高表达,提示CARM1可能通过增强募集NF-кB到相关位点激活NF-кB信号转导通路,并启动了多种前炎性基因和免疫调节基因的转录激活从而诱发哮喘炎症反应.     

LIM蛋白KyoT与PcG蛋白的相互作用

KyoT为LIM结构域蛋白 ,可与转录因子RBP J相互作用并抑制RBP J介导的转录激活。为了研究其功能 ,用酵母双杂交法筛选了与KyoT相互作用的蛋白质 ,其中包括同属于PcG (polycombgroup)家族的蛋白质Ring1和hPc2 (humanpolycomb2 )。为进一步验证KyoT2与Ring1和hPc2的相互作用 ,首先在酵母中证实了KyoT2与它们的相互作用并得到阳性结果。然后做GST pulldown实验在体外验证了KyoT2与Ring1和hPc2在体外的相互作用。进而又构建了KyoT2与Ring1和hPc2不同的截短体 ,利用酵母双杂交进一步验证了它们相互作用的区段 ,发现KyoT的LIM结构域与Ring1的全长相互作用 ,与hPc2的C末端和全长相互作用。本研究验证了KyoT2与Ring1和hPc2的相互作用 ,对探讨KyoT的功能以及分析Notch信号途径与PcG家族的关系提供一定的依据。     

水稻种子储藏蛋白及其基因表达

作为人类氮素营养的一个重要来源,水稻种子储藏蛋白的组成、结构及其合成过程一直是为研究者所关注。随着研究的深入,对于谷蛋白基因的结构特点,表达方式以及与谷蛋白基因表达相关的转录因子也都为人们所逐渐了解。这些知识对于人们改善水稻籽粒的品质以及利用水稻籽粒来生产外源蛋白都具有十分重要的意义。本文对这些方面做一简要概述。 As an important nitrogen source of human being. The composition, structure and synthesis of rice storage protein were concerned by scientists. Now people know a lot about the structure ,expression patterns of rice glutelin genes. On the basis of these knowledge, we may improve the quality of rice grain and use it to produce foreign proteins. In this paper we summarize the knowledge about rice storage proteins that we have got in these years.