PR-Set7 is a nucleosome-specific methyltransferase that modifies lysine 20 of histone H4 and is associated with silent Chromatin

Kenichi Nishioka, Judd C. Rice, Kavitha Sarma, Hediye Erdjument-Bromage, Janis Werner, Yanming Wang, Sergei Chuikov, Pablo Valenzuela, Paul Tempst, Ruth Steward, John T. Lis, C. David Allis, Danny Reinberg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

491 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have purified a human histone H4 lysine 20 methyltransferase and cloned the encoding gene, PR/SET07. A mutation in Drosophila pr-set7 is lethal: second instar larval death coincides with the loss of H4 lysine 20 methylation, indicating a fundamental role for PR-Set7 in development. Transcriptionally competent regions lack H4 lysine 20 methylation, but the modification coincided with condensed chromosomal regions on polytene chromosomes, including chromocenter and euchromatic arms. The Drosophila male X chromosome, which is hyperacetylated at H4 lysine 16, has significantly decreased levels of lysine 20 methylation compared to that of females. In vitro, methylation of lysine 20 and acetylation of lysine 16 on the H4 tail are competitive. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that methylation of H4 lysine 20 maintains silent chromatin, in part, by precluding neighboring acetylation on the H4 tail.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1201-1213
Number of pages13
JournalMolecular cell
Volume9
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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