Dual binding of chromomethylase domains to H3K9me2-containing nucleosomes directs DNA methylation in plants Journal Article


Authors: Du, J.; Zhong, X.; Bernatavichute, Y. V.; Stroud, H.; Feng, S.; Caro, E.; Vashisht, A. A.; Terragni, J.; Chin, H. G.; Tu, A.; Hetzel, J.; Wohlschlegel, J. A.; Pradhan, S.; Patel, D. J.; Jacobsen, S. E.
Article Title: Dual binding of chromomethylase domains to H3K9me2-containing nucleosomes directs DNA methylation in plants
Abstract: DNA methylation and histone modification exert epigenetic control over gene expression. CHG methylation by CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3) depends on histone H3K9 dimethylation (H3K9me2), but the mechanism underlying this relationship is poorly understood. Here, we report multiple lines of evidence that CMT3 interacts with H3K9me2-containing nucleosomes. CMT3 genome locations nearly perfectly correlated with H3K9me2, and CMT3 stably associated with H3K9me2-containing nucleosomes. Crystal structures of maize CMT3 homolog ZMET2, in complex with H3K9me2 peptides, showed that ZMET2 binds H3K9me2 via both bromo adjacent homology (BAH) and chromo domains. The structures reveal an aromatic cage within both BAH and chromo domains as interaction interfaces that capture H3K9me2. Mutations that abolish either interaction disrupt CMT3 binding to nucleosomes and show a complete loss of CMT3 activity in vivo. Our study establishes dual recognition of H3K9me2 marks by BAH and chromo domains and reveals a distinct mechanism of interplay between DNA methylation and histone modification. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Keywords: controlled study; unclassified drug; gene mutation; nonhuman; protein domain; protein binding; in vivo study; immunofluorescence; dna methylation; methyltransferase; amino acid sequence; molecular sequence data; protein purification; sequence alignment; histone; chromatin immunoprecipitation; western blotting; crystal structure; models, molecular; crystallography, x-ray; molecular interaction; protein structure; histones; dna (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase; gene location; heterochromatin; nucleosome; nucleosomes; arabidopsis; histone modification; plant genetics; zea mays; maize; chromomethylase; histone h3k9; plant dna; dna, plant
Journal Title: Cell
Volume: 151
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0092-8674
Publisher: Cell Press  
Date Published: 2012-09-28
Start Page: 167
End Page: 180
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.07.034
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC3471781
PUBMED: 23021223
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 2 November 2012" - "CODEN: CELLB" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Dinshaw J Patel
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  2. Jiamu Du
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