Identifying proteins bound to native mitotic ESC chromosomes reveals chromatin repressors are important for compaction

Nat Commun. 2020 Aug 17;11(1):4118. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17823-z.

Abstract

Epigenetic information is transmitted from mother to daughter cells through mitosis. Here, to identify factors that might play a role in conveying epigenetic memory through cell division, we report on the isolation of unfixed, native chromosomes from metaphase-arrested cells using flow cytometry and perform LC-MS/MS to identify chromosome-bound proteins. A quantitative proteomic comparison between metaphase-arrested cell lysates and chromosome-sorted samples reveals a cohort of proteins that were significantly enriched on mitotic ESC chromosomes. These include pluripotency-associated transcription factors, repressive chromatin-modifiers such as PRC2 and DNA methyl-transferases, and proteins governing chromosome architecture. Deletion of PRC2, Dnmt1/3a/3b or Mecp2 in ESCs leads to an increase in the size of individual mitotic chromosomes, consistent with de-condensation. Similar results were obtained by the experimental cleavage of cohesin. Thus, we identify chromosome-bound factors in pluripotent stem cells during mitosis and reveal that PRC2, DNA methylation and Mecp2 are required to maintain chromosome compaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatin / metabolism*
  • Chromosomes / metabolism*
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1 / metabolism
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • DNA Methylation / physiology
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3A
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3B
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Proteomics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Mecp2 protein, mouse
  • Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2
  • Transcription Factors
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3A
  • Dnmt1 protein, mouse