Live-cell single particle tracking of PRC1 reveals a highly dynamic system with low target site occupancy
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) is an essential chromatin-based repressor of gene transcription. How PRC1 engages with chromatin to identify its target genes and achieve gene repression remains poorly defined, representing a major hurdle to our understanding of Polycomb system function. Here, we use genome engineering and single particle tracking to dissect how PRC1 binds to chromatin in live mouse embryonic stem cells. We observe that PRC1 is highly dynamic, with only a small fraction stably interacting with chromatin. By integrating subunit-specific dynamics, chromatin binding, and abundance measurements, we discover that PRC1 exhibits low occupancy at target sites. Furthermore, we employ perturbation approaches to uncover how specific components of PRC1 define its kinetics and chromatin binding. Together, these discoveries provide a quantitative understanding of chromatin binding by PRC1 in live cells, suggesting that chromatin modification, as opposed to PRC1 complex occupancy, is central to gene repression.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Miles K. Huseyin, Robert J. Klose
Institution: University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,560
Awards: G1983671959, Micron Oxford: super-resolution imaging of cellular dynamics., Micron Oxford: super-resolution imaging of cellular dynamics., G339059223, G3886008271, Discovering how polycomb domains form and function in gene regulation, Oxford, Chromosome and Developmental Biology., Oxford, Chromosome and Developmental Biology., Understanding the link between CpG islands and gene transcription, Advanced Microscopy for Chromosome and RNA Dynamics., G6868616705, Advanced Microscopy for Chromosome and RNA Dynamics., Understanding the link between CpG islands and gene transcription
OpenAlex ID: W3128025522