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Title: SATB1 packages densely-looped, transciptionally-active chromatinfor coordinated expression of cytokine genes

Journal Article · · Nature Genetics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1913· OSTI ID:901230

SATB1 is an important regulator of nuclear architecture that anchors specialized DNA sequences onto its cage-like network and recruits chromatin remodeling/modifying factors to control gene transcription. We studied the role of SATB1 in regulating the coordinated expression of Il5, Il4, and Il13 from the 200kb cytokine gene cluster region of mouse chromosome 11 during T-helper 2 (Th2)-cell activation. We show that upon cell activation, SATB1 is rapidly induced to form a unique transcriptionally-active chromatin structure that includes the cytokine gene region. Chromatin is folded into numerous small loops all anchored by SATB1, is histone H3 acetylated at lysine 9/14, and associated with Th2-specific factors, GATA3, STAT6, c-Maf, the chromatin-remodeling enzyme Brg-1, and RNA polymerase II across the 200kb region. Before activation, the chromatin displays some of these features, such as association with GATA3 and STAT6, but these were insufficient for cytokine gene expression. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we show that upon cell activation, SATB1 is not only required for chromatin folding into dense loops, but also for c-Maf induction and subsequently for Il4, Il5, and Il13 transcription. Our results show that SATB1 is an important determinant for chromatin architecture that constitutes a novel higher-order, transcriptionally-active chromatin structure upon Th2-cell activation.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Director, Office of Science; National Institutes ofHealth
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-05CH11231; NIHR01 GM63026 AND R37CA39681
OSTI ID:
901230
Report Number(s):
LBNL-60481; R&D Project: 863Y1A; BnR: 400412000; TRN: US200713%%203
Journal Information:
Nature Genetics, Vol. 38, Issue 11; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 11/2006
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English