Abstract
Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a chromosomal protein of the brain, very abundant especially in neurons, where it plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Hence it has the potential to be affected by the mammalian circadian cycle. We performed expression analyses of mice brain frontal cortices obtained at different time points and we found that the levels of MeCP2 are altered circadianly, affecting overall organization of brain chromatin and resulting in a circadian-dependent regulation of well-stablished MeCP2 target genes. Furthermore, this data suggests that alterations of MeCP2 can be responsible for the sleeping disorders arising from pathological stages, such as in autism and Rett syndrome.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Brain / metabolism*
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CLOCK Proteins / metabolism
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Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
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Chromatin / metabolism*
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Circadian Rhythm / genetics*
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / metabolism*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
Substances
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Chromatin
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Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2
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CLOCK Proteins
Grants and funding
Funding was provided by the European Community's Seven Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n ͦ PITN-GA2009-238242 DISCHROM project and by the European Research Council under grant agreement no. 268626 EPINORC project, E-RARE EuroRETT network (Carlos III Health Institute Project n ͦ PI071327), the Foundation Lejeune, MINECO Project n ͦ SAF2011 22803, the Catalan Association of Rett Syndrome, and the Health and Science Department of the Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya) (M.E.). Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) [MOP-97878] grant (J.A.). M.E. is supported as a Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies Research Professor.