Set7 Is a H3K37 Methyltransferase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Is Required for Proper Gametogenesis

Yunpeng Shen; Damiaan E H F Mevius; Rocco Caliandro; Benedetta Carrozzini; Yeonjeong Roh; Jihyeon Kim; Sunghwan Kim; Sung Chul Ha; Masayo Morishita; Eric di Luccio

doi:10.1016/j.str.2019.01.011

Set7 Is a H3K37 Methyltransferase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Is Required for Proper Gametogenesis

Structure. 2019 Apr 2;27(4):631-638.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2019.01.011. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; School of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
² Institute of Crystallography, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy.
³ Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea.
⁶ Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: masayo.morishita.dl@gmail.com.
⁷ Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: eric.diluccio@gmail.com.

PMID: 30773398
DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.01.011

Abstract

Histone methylation by histone methyltransferases (HMTases) has a key role in transcriptional regulation. Discrepancies between the known HMTases and the histone lysine methylome suggest that HMTases remain to be identified. Here we report the discovery, characterization, and crystal structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Set7, an HMTase methylating the uncharted histone H3 lysine 37 (H3K37) mark. Set7 forms a dimer with its substrate-binding site structurally specific to K37, not the neighboring well-studied K36 mark. We also discovered that H3K37 methylation levels dramatically increase during gametogenesis. Set7 deletion mutant cells show defects in gametogenesis and produce the abnormal number of spores with aberrant morphology. S. pombe gametogenesis shares similarities with mammalian spermatogenesis. These findings extend our understanding of epigenetic regulation during gametogenesis and support a link between Set7, the epigenetic H3K37 methyl mark, and proper gametogenesis.

Keywords: H3K37; Schizosaccharomyces pombe; Set7; crystal structure; gametogenesis; histone methyltransferase; homo dimer.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acid Sequence
Epigenesis, Genetic
Gametogenesis / genetics*
Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics*
Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism
Histones / genetics
Histones / metabolism*
Methylation
Models, Molecular
Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical
Protein Conformation, beta-Strand
Protein Processing, Post-Translational*
Schizosaccharomyces / genetics*
Schizosaccharomyces / growth & development
Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism
Schizosaccharomyces / ultrastructure
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / genetics*
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / metabolism
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Spores, Fungal / genetics
Spores, Fungal / growth & development
Spores, Fungal / metabolism
Spores, Fungal / ultrastructure

Substances

Histones
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase