A permissive chromatin state regulated by ZFP281-AFF3 in controlling the imprinted Meg3 polycistron

Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Feb 17;45(3):1177-1185. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkw1051.

Abstract

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic regulation that leads to gene expression in a parent-of-origin specific manner. AFF3, the central component of the Super Elongation Complex-like 3 (SEC-L3), is enriched at both the intergenic-differentially methylated region (IG-DMR) and the Meg3 enhancer within the imprinted Dlk1-Dio3 locus to regulate the allele-specific gene expression in this locus. The localization of AFF3 to IG-DMR requires ZFP57. However, how AFF3 functions at the Meg3 enhancer in maintaining allele-specific gene expression remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that AFF3 is associated with the Krüppel-like zinc finger protein ZFP281 in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. ZFP281 recruits AFF3 to the Meg3 enhancer within the imprinted Dlk1-Dio3 locus, thus regulating the allele-specific expression of the Meg3 polycistron. Our genome-wide analyses further identify ZFP281 as a critical factor generally associating with AFF3 at enhancers and functioning together with AFF3 in regulating the expression of a subset of genes. Our study suggests that different zinc finger proteins can recruit AFF3 to different regulatory elements and differentially regulate the function of AFF3 in a context-dependent manner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatin / genetics*
  • Chromatin / metabolism*
  • DNA Methylation
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Genomic Imprinting*
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Iodide Peroxidase / genetics
  • Mice
  • Models, Genetic
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • Dlk1 protein, mouse
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Laf4 protein, mouse
  • MEG3 non-coding RNA, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Transcription Factors
  • Zfp281 protein, mouse
  • iodothyronine deiodinase type III
  • Iodide Peroxidase