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Progressive methylation of ageing histones by Dot1 functions as a timer
Author(s) -
De Vos Dirk,
Frederiks Floor,
Terweij Marit,
van Welsem Tibor,
Verzijlbergen Kitty F,
Iachina Ekaterina,
de Graaf Erik L,
Maarten Altelaar A F,
Oudgenoeg Gideon,
Heck Albert J R,
Krijgsveld Jeroen,
Bakker Barbara M,
van Leeuwen Fred
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/embor.2011.131
Subject(s) - biology , histone methylation , histone methyltransferase , histone , histone code , epigenomics , nucleosome , microbiology and biotechnology , chromatin , epigenetics , genetics , histone h2a , dna methylation , computational biology , gene expression , gene
Post‐translational modifications of histone proteins have a crucial role in regulating gene expression. If efficiently re‐established after chromosome duplication, histone modifications could help propagate gene expression patterns in dividing cells by epigenetic mechanisms. We used an integrated approach to investigate the dynamics of the conserved methylation of histone H3 Lys 79 (H3K79) by Dot1. Our results show that methylation of H3K79 progressively changes after histone deposition, which is incompatible with a rapid copy mechanism. Instead, methylation accumulates on ageing histones, providing the cell with a timer mechanism to directly couple cell‐cycle length to changes in chromatin modification on the nucleosome core.