Mouse Retrotransposons Induce Heterochromatin
Author Information
Author(s): Rebollo Rita, Karimi Mohammad M., Bilenky Misha, Gagnier Liane, Miceli-Royer Katharine, Zhang Ying, Goyal Preeti, Keane Thomas M., Jones Steven, Hirst Martin, Lorincz Matthew C., Mager Dixie L.
Primary Institution: British Columbia Cancer Agency
Hypothesis
Can retrotransposons induce local heterochromatin in mouse embryonic stem cells?
Conclusion
IAP retrotransposons can induce local heterochromatin spreading, affecting nearby gene expression, although this is a rare occurrence.
Supporting Evidence
- IAP elements induce H3K9me3 and H4K20me3 marks in flanking genomic DNA.
- Only one gene, B3galtl, was found to be silenced by IAP-induced heterochromatin.
- DNA methylation is present in flanking regions regardless of IAP presence.
Takeaway
Some tiny pieces of DNA called retrotransposons can make nearby genes quiet by spreading a special kind of 'silencing' material around them.
Methodology
The study used ChIP-seq data from two mouse embryonic stem cell lines to analyze the effects of insertionally polymorphic retrotransposons on heterochromatin formation.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the selection of cell lines and the specific retrotransposon families studied.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on a limited number of retrotransposon families and their effects on gene expression, which may not represent all retrotransposons.
Participant Demographics
Mouse embryonic stem cell lines from different genetic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0111
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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