NcRNA- and Pc2 methylation-dependent gene relocation between nuclear structures mediates gene activation programs

Liuqing Yang, Chunru Lin, Wen Liu, Jie Zhang, Kenneth A. Ohgi, Jonathan D. Grinstein, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Michael G. Rosenfeld

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

537 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although eukaryotic nuclei contain distinct architectural structures associated with noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), their potential relationship to regulated transcriptional programs remains poorly understood. Here, we report that methylation/demethylation of Polycomb 2 protein (Pc2) controls relocation of growth-control genes between Polycomb bodies (PcGs) and interchromatin granules (ICGs) in response to growth signals. This movement is the consequence of binding of methylated and unmethylated Pc2 to the ncRNAs TUG1 and MALAT1/NEAT2, located in PcGs and ICGs, respectively. These ncRNAs mediate assembly of multiple corepressors/coactivators and can serve to switch mark recognition by "readers" of the histone code. Additionally, binding of NEAT2 to unmethylated Pc2 promotes E2F1 SUMOylation, leading to activation of the growth-control gene program. These observations delineate a molecular pathway linking the actions of subnuclear structure-specific ncRNAs and nonhistone protein methylation to relocation of transcription units in the three-dimensional space of the nucleus, thus achieving coordinated gene expression programs. PaperClip:

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)773-788
Number of pages16
JournalCell
Volume147
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 11 2011
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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