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SET‐domain bacterial effectors target heterochromatin protein 1 to activate host rDNA transcription
Author(s) -
Li Ting,
Lu Qiuhe,
Wang Guolun,
Xu Hao,
Huang Huanwei,
Cai Tao,
Kan Biao,
Ge Jianning,
Shao Feng
Publication year - 2013
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.2013.86
Subject(s) - effector , heterochromatin , transcription (linguistics) , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , genetics , heterochromatin protein 1 , computational biology , domain (mathematical analysis) , chromatin , gene , mathematical analysis , mathematics , linguistics , philosophy
Transcription of rRNA genes (rDNAs) in the nucleolus is regulated by epigenetic chromatin modifications including histone H3 lysine (de)methylation. Here we show that LegAS4, a Legionella pneumophila type IV secretion system (TFSS) effector, is targeted to specific rDNA chromatin regions in the host nucleolus. LegAS4 promotes rDNA transcription, through its SET‐domain (named after Drosophila Su(var)3–9, enhancer of zeste [E(z)], and trithorax [trx]) histone lysine methyltransferase (HKMTase) activity. LegAS4's association with rDNA chromatin is mediated by interaction with host HP1α/γ. L. pneumophila infection potently activates rDNA transcription in a TFSS‐dependent manner. Other bacteria, including Bordetella bronchiseptica and Burkholderia thailandensis , also harbour nucleolus‐localized LegAS4‐like HKMTase effectors. The B. thailandensis type III effector BtSET promotes H3K4 methylation of rDNA chromatin, contributing to infection‐induced rDNA transcription and bacterial intracellular replication. Thus, activation of host rDNA transcription might be a general bacterial virulence strategy.