• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2019

Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes at the physical ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. They protect the chromosome ends from various external attacks to avoid the loss of genetic information. Telomeres are maintained by cellular activities associated with telomerase and telomere-binding proteins. In addition, epigenetic regulators have pivotal roles in controlling the chromatin state at telomeres and subtelomeric regions, contributing to the maintenance of chromosomal homeostasis in yeast, animals, and plants. Here, we review the recent findings on chromatin modifications possibly associated with the dynamic states of telomeres in Arabidopsis thaliana.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.530-545
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• 2019

Tumor cells can vary epigenetically during ionizing irradiation (IR) treatment. These epigenetic variegations can influence IR response and shape tumor aggressiveness. However, epigenetic disturbance of histones after IR, implicating in IR responsiveness, has been elusive. Here, we investigate whether altered histone modification after IR can influence radiation responsiveness. The oncogenic CXCL12 mRNA and protein were more highly expressed in residual cancer cells from a hepatoma heterotopic murine tumor microenvironment and coculture of human hepatoma Huh7 and normal IMR90 cells after radiation. H3K4 methylation was also enriched and H3K9 methylation was decreased at its promoter region. Accordingly, invasiveness and the subpopulation of aggressive $CD133^+/CD24^-$ cells increased after IR. Histone demethylase inhibitor IOX1 attenuated CXCL12 expression and the malignant subpopulation, suggesting that responses to IR can be partially mediated via histone modifications. Taken together, radiation-induced histone alterations at the CXCL12 promoter in hepatoma cells are linked to CXCL12 upregulation and increased aggressiveness in the tumor microenvironment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4663-4670
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• 2014

Trichostatin A (TSA) is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. We here investigated its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of the CNE2 carcinoma cell line, and attempted to establish genome-wide DNA methylation alteration due to differentially histone acetylation status. After cells were treated by TSA, the inhibitory rate of cell proliferation was examined with a CCK8 kit, and cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Compared to control, TSA inhibited CNE2 cell growth and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, TSA was found to induce genome-wide methylation alteration as assessed by genome-wide methylation array. Overall DNA methylation level of cells treated with TSA was higher than in controls. Function and pathway analysis revealed that many genes with methylation alteration were involved in key biological roles, such as apoptosis and cell proliferation. Three genes (DAP3, HSPB1 and CLDN) were independently confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Finally, we conclude that TSA inhibits CNE2 cell growth and induces apoptosis in vitro involving genome-wide DNA methylation alteration, so that it has promising application prospects in treatment of NPC in vivo. Although many unreported hypermethylated/hypomethylated genes should be further analyzed and validated, the pointers to new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in the treatment of NPC should be stressed.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to analyzed pattern of proteins expression abnormally in cloned bovine placenta. TIMP-2 protein whose function is related to extracellular matrix degradation and tissue remodeling processes was one of differentially up-regulated proteins in SCNT placenta. And one of down-regulated protein in SCNT placenta was identified as vimentin protein that is presumed to stabilize the architecture of the cytoplasm. The expression patterns of these proteins were validated by Western blotting. To evaluate how regulatory loci. of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was programmed reprogramming in cloned placenta. the status of DNA methylation in the promoter region of TIMP-2 and vimentin genes was analyzed by sodium Bisulfite mapping. The DNA methylation results showed that there was not difference in methylation pattern of TIMP-2 and vimentin loci between cloned and normal placenta. Histone H3 acetylation state of the nucleosome was analyzed in the cloned placental and normal placenta by Western blotting. A small portion of the protein lysates were subjected to Western blotting with the antibodies against anti acetyl-Histone H3. Overall histone H3 acetylation state of SCNT placenta was significantly higher than those of normal placenta cells. It is postulated that cloned placenta at the end of gestation seems to be unusual in function and morphology of placenta via improper expression of TIMP-2 and vimentin by abnormal acetylation states of cloned genome.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.27-27
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• 2003

A diversified and concentrative approach of methylation player can be one of the most powerful studies in the understanding of global epigenetic modifications. Previous studies have suggested that DNA methylation contributes to transcriptional silencing through the several DNA methylation-mediated repression systems by hypermethylation, including methyltransferases (DNMTs), DNA methyltransferase association protein 1 (DMAPl), methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD), and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Assembly of these regulatory protein complexes act sequentially, reciprocally, and interdependently on the newly composed DNA strand through S phase. Therefore, these protein complexes have a role in coupling DNA replication to the designed turn-off system in genome. In this study, we attempted to address the role of DNA methylation by the functional analysis of the methyltransferase molecule, we described the involvement of DMAP1 and DNMTs in cell divistion and the effect of their loss. We also described distinct patterns that DMAP1 and DNMTs are spatially reorganized and displaced from condensing chromosomes as cells progress through mitosis in HeLa cell, COS7, and HIH3T3 cell cycle progressions. DNMT1, DNMT3b, and DMAP1 do not stably contact the genetic material during chromosome compaction and repressive expression. These finding show that the loss of activities of DNMTs and DMAP1 occure stage specifically during the cell cycle, may contribute to the integral balance of global DNA methylation. This is consistent with previous studies resulted in decreased histone acetyltransferases and HDACs, and differs from studies resulted in increased histone methyltransferases. Our results suggest that DNA methylation by DNMTs and DMAP1 during mitosis acts to antagonize hypermethylation by which this mark is epigenetical mitotic-specific methylation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2016

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Paf1 complex consists of five proteins, and they are structurally and functionally well conserved in yeast, fruit fly, plants, and human. With binding to RNA polymerase II from transcription start site to termination site, Paf1 complex functions as a platform for recruiting many types of transcription factors to RNA polymerase II. Paf1 complex contributes to H2B ubiquitination and indirectly influences on H3K4 di- and tri-methylation by histone crosstalk. But the individual effects of five components in Paf1 complex on these two histone modifications including H2B ubiquitination and H3K4 methylation largely remained to be identified. In this study, we constructed the single-gene knockout mutants of each Paf1 complex component and observed H3K4 mono-, di-, and trimethylation as well as H2B ubiquitination in these mutants. Interestingly, in each ${\Delta}paf1$, ${\Delta}rtf1$, and ${\Delta}ctr9$ strain, we observed the dramatic defect in H3K4 monomethylation, which is independent of H2B ubiquitination, as well as H3K4 di- and trimethylation. However, the protein level of Set1, which is methyltransferase for H3K4, was not changed in these mutants. This suggests that Paf1 complex may directly influence on H3K4 methylation by directly regulating the activity of Set1 or the stability of Set1 complex in an H2B ubiquitination independent manner.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2011

Epigenetic regulation is a phenomenon that changes the gene function without changing the underlying DNA sequences. Epigenetic status of chromosome is regulated by mechanisms such as histone modification, DNA modification, and RNAi silencing. In this review, we focused on histone methylation for epigenetic regulation in ES cells. Two antagonizing multiprotein complexes regulate methylation of histones to guide expression of genes in ES cells. The Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), including EED, EZH2, and SUZ12 as core factors, contributes to gene repression by increasing trimethylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3). In contrast, the Trithorax group (TrxG) complex including MLL is related to gene activation by making H3K4me3. PRC2 and TrxG accompany a variety of accessory proteins. Most prominent feature of epigenetic regulation in ES cells is a bivalent state in which H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 appear simultaneously. Concerted regulation of PRC2, TrxG complex, and H3K4- or H3K27-specific demethylases activate expression of pluripotency-related genes and suppress development-related genes in ES cells. Modified balance of the regulators also enables ES cells to efficiently differentiate to a variety of cells upon differentiating signals. More detailed insights on the epigenetic regulators and their action will lead us to better understanding and use of ES cells for future application.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.286-291
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• 2017

In eukaryotic cells, histone modification is an important mechanism to regulate the chromatin structure. The methylation of the fourth lysine on histone H3 (H3K4) by Set1 complex is one of the various well-known histone modifications. Set1 complex has seven subunits including Swd2, which is known to be important for H2B ubiquitination dependent on H3K4 methylation. Swd2 was reported to regulate Set1's methyltransferase activity by binding to near RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain of Set1 and to act as a component of CPF (Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors) complex involved in RNA 3' end processing. According to the recent reports, two functions of Swd2 work independently of each other and the lethality of Swd2 knockout strain was known to be caused by its function as a component of CPF complex. In this study, we found that Swd2 could influence the Set1's stability as well as histone methyltransferase activity through the association with RRM domain of Set1. Also, we found that ${\Delta}swd2$ mutant bearing truncated-Set1, which cannot interact with Swd2, lost its lethality and grew normally. These results suggest that the dual functions of Swd2 in H3K4 methylation and RNA 3' end processing are not independent in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2020

Epigenetic events like DNA methylation and histone modification can alter heritable phenotypes. Zinc is required for the activity of various epigenetic enzymes, such as DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), and histone demethylases, which possess several zinc binding sites. Thus, the dysregulation of zinc homeostasis can lead to epigenetic alterations. Zinc homeostasis is regulated by Zinc Transporters (ZnTs), Zrt- and Irt-like proteins (ZIPs), and the zinc storage protein metallothionein (MT). Recent advances revealed that ZIPs modulate epigenetics. ZIP10 deficiency was found to result in reduced HATs, confirming its involvement in histone acetylation for rigid skin barrier formation. ZIP13 deficiency, which is associated with Spondylocheirodysplastic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (SCD-EDS), increases DNMT activity, leading to dysgenesis of dermis via improper gene expressions. However, the precise molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Future molecular studies investigating the involvement of zinc and its transporters in epigenetics are warranted.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.162-163
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• 2017

RNA polymerase II-interacting the Set2 methyltransferase co-transcriptionally methylates histone H3 at lysine 36 within the body of genes. This modification facilitates histone deacetylation by Rpd3S HDAC in 3' transcribed regions to suppress cryptic initiation and slow elongation. Although this pathway is important for global deacetylation, no strong effects have been seen on genome-wide transcription under optimized laboratory conditions. In contrast, this pathway slows the kinetics of mRNA induction when target genes are induced upon environmental changes. Interestingly, a majority of Set2-repressed genes are overlapped by a lncRNA transcription that targets H3K36 methylation and deacetylation by Rpd3S HDAC to mRNA promoters. Furthermore, this pathway delays the induction of many cryptic transcripts upon environmental changes. Therefore, the Set2-Rpd3S HDAC pathway functions to fine-tune expression dynamics of mRNAs and ncRNAs.