The inactive Dnmt3b3 isoform preferentially enhances Dnmt3b-mediated DNA methylation

Yang Zeng, Ren Ren, Gundeep Kaur, Swanand Hardikar, Zhengzhou Ying, Lance Babcock, Esha Gupta, Xing Zhang, Taiping Chen, Xiaodong Cheng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

The de novo DNA methyltransferases Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b play crucial roles in developmental and cellular processes. Their enzymatic activities are stimulated by a regulatory protein Dnmt3L (Dnmt3-like) in vitro. However, genetic evidence indicates that Dnmt3L functions predominantly as a regulator of Dnmt3a in germ cells. How Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b activities are regulated during embryonic development and in somatic cells remains largely unknown. Here we show that Dnmt3b3, a catalytically inactive Dnmt3b isoform expressed in differentiated cells, positively regulates de novo methylation by Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b with a preference for Dnmt3b. Dnmt3b3 is equally potent as Dnmt3L in stimulating the activities of Dnmt3a2 and Dnmt3b2 in vitro. Like Dnmt3L, Dnmt3b3 forms a complex with Dnmt3a2 with a stoichiometry of 2:2. However, rescue experiments in Dnmt3a/3b/3l tripleknockout (TKO) mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) reveal that Dnmt3b3 prefers Dnmt3b2 over Dnmt3a2 in remethylating genomic sequences. Dnmt3a2, an active isoform that lacks the N-terminal uncharacterized region of Dnmt3a1 including a nuclear localization signal, has very low activity in TKO mESCs, indicating that an accessory protein is absolutely required for its function. Our results suggest that Dnmt3b3 and perhaps similar Dnmt3b isoforms facilitate de novo DNA methylation during embryonic development and in somatic cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1546-1558
Number of pages13
JournalGenes and Development
Volume34
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2020

Keywords

  • DNA cytosine methylation
  • De novo methylation
  • Dnmt3a
  • Dnmt3b
  • Dnmt3b3

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

MD Anderson CCSG core facilities

  • Science Park Flow Cytometry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The inactive Dnmt3b3 isoform preferentially enhances Dnmt3b-mediated DNA methylation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this