Epigenetic modification maintains intrinsic limb-cell identity in Xenopus limb bud regeneration

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.08.013
• Publication Date: 2015-08-14T17:20:04Z
• Authors: Shinichi Hayashi; Akane Kawaguchi; Ikuo Uchiyama; Aiko Kawasumi-Kita; Takuya Kobayashi; Hiroyo Nishide; Rio Tsutsumi; Kazuhiko Tsuru; Takeshi Inoue; Hajime Ogino; Kiyokazu Agata; Koji Tamura; Hitoshi Yokoyama
• Keywords: Blastema; Limb bud; Limb development; H3K4me3; Chromatin immunoprecipitation

Many amphibians can regenerate limbs, even in adulthood. If a limb is amputated, the stump generates blastema that makes complete, new process similar to developmental morphogenesis. The thought inherit its limb-patterning properties from cells stump, and it retains information despite changes morphology, gene expression, differentiation states required by regeneration. We hypothesized these cellular are maintained as epigenetic memory through histone modifications. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed genome-wide modifications Xenopus bud trimethylation of H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) closely related an open chromatin structure allows transcription factors access genes, whereas 27 (H3K27me3) closed state blocks factors. compared two modification profiles high-throughput sequencing samples prepared intact regenerative immunoprecipitation. For many start site were same blastema, stable during regeneration, corresponded well properties. These results support our hypothesis function heritable maintain cell properties, dynamic expression regeneration Xenopus.