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Histone methylation during neural development

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Abstract

Post-translational modification of histone proteins, such as the methylation of lysine and arginine residues, influences the higher order of chromatin and leads to gene activation or silencing. Histone methyltransferases or demethylases actively add or remove various methylation marks in a cell-type-specific and context-dependent way. They are therefore important players in regulating the transcriptional program of a cell. Some control of the various cellular programs is necessary during the differentiation of stem cells along a specific lineage, when differentiation to alternative lineages needs to be suppressed. One example is the development of neurons from neural stem cells during neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is a highly organized process that requires the proper coordination of survival, proliferation, differentiation and migration signals. This holds true for both embryonic and neural stem cells that give rise to the various cell types of the central nervous system. The control of embryonic and neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation is achieved by both extrinsic and intrinsic signals that regulate gene expression precisely. Recent advances in neuroscience support the importance of epigenetic modifications, such as the methylation and acetylation of histones, as an important intrinsic mechanism for the regulation of central nervous system development. This review summarizes our current knowledge of histone methylation processes during neural development and provides insights into the function of histone methylation enzymes and their role during central nervous system development.

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Abbreviations

5hmC:

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine

CNS:

Central nervous system

COMPASS:

Complex of proteins associated with Set1

DOT1L:

Disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like

ESC:

Embryonic stem cells

EZH2:

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2

H3:

Histone 3

H3K4 (same scheme for other modifications):

Histone 3 lysine 4

H4R3me2a/s:

Histone 4 arginine 3 asymmetric/symmetric dimethylation

HDAC:

Histone deacetylase

K:

Lysine

KDM:

Histone lysine demethylase

KMT:

Histone lysine methyltransferase

KO:

Knockout

JARID:

Jumonji/ARID domain

JHDM:

JmjC domain-containing histone demethylase

JmjC:

Jumonji C

me:

Methylation

me1/2/3:

Mono- /di- /trimethylation

MLL:

Mixed-lineage leukemia

NSC:

Neural stem cells

NTD:

Neural tube defects

PRC1:

Polycomb repressive complex 1

PRC2:

Polycomb repressive complex 2

R:

Arginine

RE:

Neuron-restrictive silencer element

REST:

RE1-silencing transcription factor

RNAPII:

RNA polymerase II

SAH:

S-adenosyl-homocysteine

SAM:

S-adenosyl-L-methionine

SET:

Su(var)3-9, Enhancer of Zeste, Trithorax

TSS:

Transcription start site

Trx:

Trithorax

Trr:

Trithorax-related

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank P.P. Bovio and S.C. Weise for graphical assistance, Dr. C.J. Hindley for language editing and the reviewers and editors for critical comments and fruitful discussions that have helped to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Deborah Roidl & Christine Hacker

  2. Hermann Staudinger Graduate School (HSGS), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Deborah Roidl

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  1. Deborah Roidl
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  2. Christine Hacker
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Correspondence to Christine Hacker.

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The authors are grateful to the grantholder, Prof. T. Vogel and the SFB992 Medical Epigenetics “MEDEP” (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) for funding our research.

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Roidl, D., Hacker, C. Histone methylation during neural development. Cell Tissue Res 356, 539–552 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-014-1842-8

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