H3 Lysine 4 Is Acetylated at Active Gene Promoters and Is Regulated by H3 Lysine 4 Methylation

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001354
• Publication Date: 2011-03-31T21:14:21Z
• Authors: Benoit Guillemette; Paul Drogaris; Hsiu-Hsu Sophia Lin; Harry Armstrong; Kyoko Hiragami-Ha...; Axel Imhof; Éric Bonneil; Pierre Thibault; Alain Verreault; Richard J. Festen...
• Keywords: Histone code; Histone Methylation; H3K4me3; Chromatin immunoprecipitation

Methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me) is an evolutionarily conserved modification whose role in the regulation gene expression has been extensively studied. In contrast, function H3K4 acetylation (H3K4ac) received little attention because a lack tools to separate its from that H3K4me. Here we show that, addition being methylated, also acetylated budding yeast. Genetic studies reveal acetyltransferases (HATs) Gcn5 and Rtt109 contribute vivo. Whilst removal H3K4ac euchromatin mainly requires deacetylase (HDAC) Hst1, Sir2 needed for deacetylation heterochomatin. Using genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), enriched at promoters actively transcribed genes located just upstream tri-methylation (H3K4me3), pattern human cells. We find Set1-containing complex (COMPASS), which promotes H3K4me2 -me3, serves limit abundance promoters. addition, identify group have high levels their are inadequately expressed H3-K4R, but not set1Δ mutant strains, suggesting plays positive transcription. Our results novel regulatory feature promoter-proximal chromatin, involving mutually exclusive modifications same residue (H3K4ac H3K4me).