Enhancer Function in the 3D Genome.

In this review, we consider various aspects of enhancer functioning in the context of the 3D genome. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of enhancer-promoter communication and the significance of the spatial juxtaposition of enhancers and promoters in 3D nuclear space. A model of an activator chromatin compartment is substantiated, which provides the possibility of transferring activating factors from an enhancer to a promoter without establishing direct contact between these elements. The mechanisms of selective activation of individual promoters or promoter classes by enhancers are also discussed.

Segregation of α- and ß-Globin Gene Cluster in Vertebrate Evolution: Chance or Necessity?

The review is devoted to the patterns of evolution of α- and ß-globin gene domains. A hypothesis is presented according to which segregation of the ancestral cluster of α/ß-globin genes in Amniota occurred due to the performance by α-globins and ß-globins of non-canonical functions not related to oxygen transport.

Co-Regulated Genes and Gene Clusters.

There are many co-regulated genes in eukaryotic cells. The coordinated activation or repression of such genes occurs at specific stages of differentiation, or under the influence of external stimuli. As a rule, co-regulated genes are dispersed in the genome. However, there are also gene clusters, which contain paralogous genes that encode proteins with similar functions. In this aspect, they differ significantly from bacterial operons containing functionally linked genes that are not paralogs. In this review, we discuss the reasons for the existence of gene clusters in vertebrate cells and propose that clustering is necessary to ensure the possibility of selective activation of one of several similar genes.

Manipulation of Cellular Processes via Nucleolus Hijaking in the Course of Viral Infection in Mammals.

Due to their exceptional simplicity of organization, viruses rely on the resources, molecular mechanisms, macromolecular complexes, regulatory pathways, and functional compartments of the host cell for an effective infection process. The nucleolus plays an important role in the process of interaction between the virus and the infected cell. The interactions of viral proteins and nucleic acids with the nucleolus during the infection process are universal phenomena and have been described for almost all taxonomic groups. During infection, proteins of the nucleolus in association with viral components can be directly used for the processes of replication and transcription of viral nucleic acids and the assembly and transport of viral particles. In the course of a viral infection, the usurpation of the nucleolus functions occurs and the usurpation is accompanied by profound changes in ribosome biogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that the nucleolus is a multifunctional and dynamic compartment. In addition to the biogenesis of ribosomes, it is involved in regulating the cell cycle and apoptosis, responding to cellular stress, repairing DNA, and transcribing RNA polymerase II-dependent genes. A viral infection can be accompanied by targeted transport of viral proteins to the nucleolus, massive release of resident proteins of the nucleolus into the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm, the movement of non-nucleolar proteins into the nucleolar compartment, and the temporary localization of viral nucleic acids in the nucleolus. The interaction of viral and nucleolar proteins interferes with canonical and non-canonical functions of the nucleolus and results in a change in the physiology of the host cell: cell cycle arrest, intensification or arrest of ribosome biogenesis, induction or inhibition of apoptosis, and the modification of signaling cascades involved in the stress response. The nucleolus is, therefore, an important target during viral infection. In this review, we discuss the functional impact of viral proteins and nucleic acid interaction with the nucleolus during infection.

Mechanisms mediating suppression of globin gene transcription in Danio rerio nonerythroid cells.

We studied the repression of adult and embryo-larval genes of the major globin gene locus in D. rerio fibroblasts. The results obtained suggest that at least some of the globin genes are repressed by Polycomb, similarly to human α-globin genes. Furthermore, within two α/ß globin gene pairs, repression of α-type and ß-type genes appears to be mediated by different mechanisms, as increasing the level of histone acetylation can activate transcription of only ß-type genes.

Nucleolus: A Central Hub for Nuclear Functions.

The nucleolus is the largest and most studied nuclear body, but its role in nuclear function is far from being comprehensively understood. Much work on the nucleolus has focused on its role in regulating RNA polymerase I (RNA Pol I) transcription and ribosome biogenesis; however, emerging evidence points to the nucleolus as an organizing hub for many nuclear functions, accomplished via the shuttling of proteins and nucleic acids between the nucleolus and nucleoplasm. Here, we discuss the cellular mechanisms affected by shuttling of nucleolar components, including the 3D organization of the genome, stress response, DNA repair and recombination, transcription regulation, telomere maintenance, and other essential cellular functions.

The IGH locus relocalizes to a "recombination compartment" in the perinucleolar region of differentiating B-lymphocytes.

The immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene loci are subject to specific recombination events during B-cell differentiation including somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination which mark the end of immunoglobulin gene maturation in germinal centers of secondary lymph nodes. These two events rely on the activity of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) which requires DNA double strand breaks be created, a potential danger to the cell. Applying 3D-fluorescence in situ hybridization coupled with immunofluorescence staining to a previously described experimental system recapitulating normal B-cell differentiation ex vivo, we have kinetically analyzed the radial positioning of the two IGH gene loci as well as their proximity with the nucleolus, heterochromatin and γH2AX foci. Our observations are consistent with the proposal that these IGH gene rearrangements take place in a specific perinucleolar "recombination compartment" where AID could be sequestered thus limiting the extent of its potentially deleterious off-target effects.

Evolution of the Genome 3D Organization: Comparison of Fused and Segregated Globin Gene Clusters.

The genomes are folded in a complex three-dimensional (3D) structure. Some features of this organization are common for all eukaryotes, but little is known about its evolution. Here, we have studied the 3D organization and regulation of zebrafish globin gene domain and compared its organization and regulation with those of other vertebrate species. In birds and mammals, the α- and ß-globin genes are segregated into separate clusters located on different chromosomes and organized into chromatin domains of different types, whereas in cold-blooded vertebrates, including Danio rerio, α- and ß-globin genes are organized into common clusters. The major globin gene locus of Danio rerio is of particular interest as it is located in a genomic area that is syntenic in vertebrates and is controlled by a conserved enhancer. We have found that the major globin gene locus of Danio rerio is structurally and functionally segregated into two spatially distinct subloci harboring either adult or embryo-larval globin genes. These subloci demonstrate different organization at the level of chromatin domains and different modes of spatial organization, which appears to be due to selective interaction of the upstream enhancer with the sublocus harboring globin genes of the adult type. These data are discussed in terms of evolution of linear and 3D organization of gene clusters in vertebrates.

Characterization of the enhancer element of the Danio rerio minor globin gene locus.

In Danio rerio, the alpha- and beta-globin genes are present in two clusters: a major cluster located on chromosome 3 and a minor cluster located on chromosome 12. In contrast to the segregated alpha- and beta-globin gene domains of warm-blooded animals, in Danio rerio, each cluster contains both alpha- and beta-globin genes. Expression of globin genes present in the major cluster is controlled by an erythroid-specific enhancer similar to the major regulatory element of mammalian and avian alpha-globin gene domains. The enhancer controlling expression of the globin genes present in the minor locus has not been identified yet. Based on the distribution of epigenetic marks, we have selected two genomic regions that might harbor an enhancer of the minor locus. Using transient transfection of constructs with a reporter gene, we have demonstrated that a ~500-bp DNA fragment located ~1.7 Kb upstream of the αe4 gene possesses an erythroid-specific enhancer active with respect to promoters present in both the major and the minor globin gene loci of Danio rerio. The identified enhancer element harbors clustered binding sites for GATA-1, NF-E2, and EKLF similar to the enhancer of the major globin locus on chromosome 3. Both enhancers appear to have emerged as a result of independent evolution of a duplicated regulatory element present in an ancestral single alpha-/beta-globin locus that existed before teleost-specific genome duplication.

Distinct Patterns of Colocalization of the CCND1 and CMYC Genes With Their Potential Translocation Partner IGH at Successive Stages of B-Cell Differentiation.

The immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) locus is submitted to intra-chromosomal DNA breakages and rearrangements during normal B cell differentiation that create a risk for illegitimate inter-chromosomal translocations leading to a variety of B-cell malignancies. In most Burkitt's and Mantle Cell lymphomas, specific chromosomal translocations juxtapose the IGH locus with a CMYC or Cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene, respectively. 3D-fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed on normal peripheral B lymphocytes induced to mature in vitro from a naive state to the stage where they undergo somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR). The CCND1 genes were found very close to the IGH locus in naive B cells and further away after maturation. In contrast, the CMYC alleles became localized closer to an IGH locus at the stage of SHM/CSR. The colocalization observed between the two oncogenes and the IGH locus at successive stages of B-cell differentiation occurred in the immediate vicinity of the nucleolus, consistent with the known localization of the RAGs and AID enzymes whose function has been demonstrated in IGH physiological rearrangements. We propose that the chromosomal events leading to Mantle Cell lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma are favored by the colocalization of CCND1 and CMYC with IGH at the time the concerned B cells undergo VDJ recombination or SHM/CSR, respectively. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 1506-1510, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dynamics of double strand breaks and chromosomal translocations.

Chromosomal translocations are a major cause of cancer. At the same time, the mechanisms that lead to specific chromosomal translocations that associate different gene regions remain largely unknown. Translocations are induced by double strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA. Here we review recent data on the mechanisms of generation, mobility and repair of DSBs and stress the importance of the nuclear organization in this process.

The clustering of CpG islands may constitute an important determinant of the 3D organization of interphase chromosomes.

We used the 4C-Seq technique to characterize the genome-wide patterns of spatial contacts of several CpG islands located on chromosome 14 in cultured chicken lymphoid and erythroid cells. We observed a clear tendency for the spatial clustering of CpG islands present on the same and different chromosomes, regardless of the presence or absence of promoters within these CpG islands. Accordingly, we observed preferential spatial contacts between Sp1 binding motifs and other GC-rich genomic elements, including the DNA sequence motifs capable of forming G-quadruplexes. However, an anchor placed in a gene/CpG island-poor area formed spatial contacts with other gene/CpG island-poor areas on chromosome 14 and other chromosomes. These results corroborate the two-compartment model of the spatial organization of interphase chromosomes and suggest that the clustering of CpG islands constitutes an important determinant of the 3D organization of the eukaryotic genome in the cell nucleus. Using the ChIP-Seq technique, we mapped the genome-wide CTCF deposition sites in the chicken lymphoid and erythroid cells that were used for the 4C analysis. We observed a good correlation between the density of CTCF deposition sites and the level of 4C signals for the anchors located in CpG islands but not for an anchor located in a gene desert. It is thus possible that CTCF contributes to the clustering of CpG islands observed in our experiments.

The broken MLL gene is frequently located outside the inherent chromosome territory in human lymphoid cells treated with DNA topoisomerase II poison etoposide.

The mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL) gene is frequently rearranged in secondary leukaemias, in which it could fuse to a variety of different partners. Breakage in the MLL gene preferentially occurs within a ~8 kb region that possesses a strong DNA topoisomerase II cleavage site. It has been proposed that DNA topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage within this and other regions triggers translocations that occur due to incorrect joining of broken DNA ends. To further clarify a possible mechanism for MLL rearrangements, we analysed the frequency of MLL cleavage in cells exposed to etoposide, a DNA topoisomerase II poison commonly used as an anticancer drug, and positioning of the broken 3'-end of the MLL gene in respect to inherent chromosomal territories. It was demonstrated that exposure of human Jurkat cells to etoposide resulted in frequent cleavage of MLL genes. Using MLL-specific break-apart probes we visualised cleaved MLL genes in ~17% of nuclei. Using confocal microscopy and 3D modelling, we demonstrated that in cells treated with etoposide and cultivated for 1 h under normal conditions, ~9% of the broken MLL alleles were present outside the chromosome 11 territory, whereas in both control cells and cells inspected immediately after etoposide treatment, virtually all MLL alleles were present within the chromosomal territory. The data are discussed in the framework of the "breakage first" model of juxtaposing translocation partners. We propose that in the course of repairing DNA topoisomerase II-mediated DNA lesions (removal of stalled DNA topoisomerase II complexes and non-homologous end joining), DNA ends acquire additional mobility, which allows the meeting and incorrect joining of translocation partners.

Communication of genome regulatory elements in a folded chromosome.

The most popular model of gene activation by remote enhancers postulates that the enhancers interact directly with target promoters via the looping of intervening DNA fragments. This interaction is thought to be necessary for the stabilization of the Pol II pre-initiation complex and/or for the transfer of transcription factors and Pol II, which are initially accumulated at the enhancer, to the promoter. The direct interaction of enhancer(s) and promoter(s) is only possible when these elements are located in close proximity within the nuclear space. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms for maintaining the close proximity of the remote regulatory elements of the eukaryotic genome. The models of an active chromatin hub (ACH) and an active nuclear compartment are considered, focusing on the role of chromatin folding in juxtaposing remote DNA sequences. The interconnection between the functionally dependent architecture of the interphase chromosome and nuclear compartmentalization is also discussed.

Disclosure of a structural milieu for the proximity ligation reveals the elusive nature of an active chromatin hub.

The current progress in the study of the spatial organization of interphase chromosomes became possible owing to the development of the chromosome conformation capture (3C) protocol. The crucial step of this protocol is the proximity ligation-preferential ligation of DNA fragments assumed to be joined within nuclei by protein bridges and solubilized as a common complex after formaldehyde cross-linking and DNA cleavage. Here, we show that a substantial, and in some cases the major, part of DNA is not solubilized from cross-linked nuclei treated with restriction endonuclease(s) and sodium dodecyl sulphate and that this treatment neither causes lysis of the nucleus nor drastically affects its internal organization. Analysis of the ligation frequencies of the mouse ß-globin gene domain DNA fragments demonstrated that the previously reported 3C signals were generated predominantly, if not exclusively, in the insoluble portion of the 3C material. The proximity ligation thus occurs within the cross-linked chromatin cage in non-lysed nuclei. The finding does not compromise the 3C protocol but allows the consideration of an active chromatin hub as a folded chromatin domain or a nuclear compartment rather than a rigid complex of regulatory elements.

The inactivation of the π gene in chicken erythroblasts of adult lineage is not mediated by packaging of the embryonic part of the α-globin gene domain into a repressive heterochromatin-like structure.

The developmental switch of globin gene expression is a characteristic feature of vertebrate organisms. The switch of ß-globin expression is believed to depend on reconfiguration of the active chromatin hub, which contains transcribed genes and regulatory elements. Mechanisms controlling the switch of α-globin gene expression are less clear. Here, we studied the mode of chromatin packaging of the chicken α-globin gene domain in red blood cells (RBCs) of primitive and definite lineages and the spatial configuration of this domain in RBCs of primitive lineage. It has been demonstrated that RBCs of primitive lineage already contain the adult-type active chromatin hub but the embryonal α-type globin π gene is not recruited to this hub. Distribution of active and repressive histone modifications over the α-globin gene domain in RBCs of definite and primitive lineages does not corroborate the hypothesis that inactivation of the π gene in RBCs of adult lineage is mediated via formation of a local repressed chromatin domain. This conclusion is supported by the demonstration that in chicken erythroblasts of adult lineage, the embryonal and adult segments of the α-globin gene domain show similar elevated sensitivities to DNase I.

Mapping of the nuclear matrix-bound chromatin hubs by a new M3C experimental procedure.

We have developed an experimental procedure to analyze the spatial proximity of nuclear matrix-bound DNA fragments. This protocol, referred to as Matrix 3C (M3C), includes a high salt extraction of nuclei, the removal of distal parts of unfolded DNA loops using restriction enzyme treatment, ligation of the nuclear matrix-bound DNA fragments and a subsequent analysis of ligation frequencies. Using the M3C procedure, we have demonstrated that CpG islands of at least three housekeeping genes that surround the chicken α-globin gene domain are assembled into a complex (presumably, a transcription factory) that is stabilized by the nuclear matrix in both erythroid and non-erythroid cells. In erythroid cells, the regulatory elements of the α-globin genes are attracted to this complex to form a new assembly: an active chromatin hub that is linked to the pre-existing transcription factory. The erythroid-specific part of the assembly is removed by high salt extraction. Based on these observations, we propose that mixed transcription factories that mediate the transcription of both housekeeping and tissue-specific genes are composed of a permanent compartment containing integrated into the nuclear matrix promoters of housekeeping genes and a 'guest' compartment where promoters and regulatory elements of tissue-specific genes can be temporarily recruited.

TMEM8 - a non-globin gene entrapped in the globin web.

For more than 30 years it was believed that globin gene domains included only genes encoding globin chains. Here we show that in chickens, the domain of alpha-globin genes also harbor the non-globin gene TMEM8. It was relocated to the vicinity of the alpha-globin cluster due to inversion of an approximately 170-kb genomic fragment. Although in humans TMEM8 is preferentially expressed in resting T-lymphocytes, in chickens it acquired an erythroid-specific expression profile and is upregulated upon terminal differentiation of erythroblasts. This correlates with the presence of erythroid-specific regulatory elements in the body of chicken TMEM8, which interact with regulatory elements of the alpha-globin genes. Surprisingly, TMEM8 is not simply recruited to the alpha-globin gene domain active chromatin hub. An alternative chromatin hub is assembled, which includes some of the regulatory elements essential for the activation of globin gene expression. These regulatory elements should thus shuttle between two different chromatin hubs.

Interaction in vivo between the two matrix attachment regions flanking a single chromatin loop.

In interphase nuclei as in metaphase chromosomes, the genome is organized into topologically closed loop domains. Here, we have mapped the ends of the loop domain that contains the Ifng (interferon-gamma) gene in primary and cultured murine T-lymphocytes. To determine whether the ends of the loop are located in close proximity to each other in the nuclear space, the 3C (chromosome conformation capture) technique, which detects protein-mediated DNA-DNA interactions, was utilized. A strong interaction was demonstrated between the two ends of the loop, which were close enough to become cross-linked in vivo in the presence of paraformaldehyde. Chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with the 3C technique demonstrated that topoisomerase IIalpha and MeCP2, but not topoisomerase IIbeta, heterochromatin-associated protein HP1 or CTCF, were involved in this interaction. The present findings have important implications in terms of mechanisms of illegitimate recombination that can result in chromosomal translocations and deletions.

Repositioning of ETO gene in cells treated with VP-16, an inhibitor of DNA-topoisomerase II.

The translocation t(8;21)(q22;q22) affecting AML1 and ETO genes is known to be one of the frequent chromosome translocations in acute myeloid leukemia. But no data have been available up to date concerning mutual positioning of these particular genes in the nucleus of a living cell as well as the mechanism of their rapprochement and realignment. Here we show that there is no proximity between these two genes in the primary nuclei of normal human male fibroblasts and moreover that these genes are located in different nuclear layers. But we further show that treatment of cells with VP-16 (etoposide), an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase II widely used in anticancer chemotherapy, causes the ETO gene repositioning which allows AML1 and ETO genes to be localized in the same nuclear layer. Inhibitor studies demonstrate that such an effect is likely to be connected with the formation of stalled cleavable complexes on DNA. Finally, inhibition of ETO gene repositioning by 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) suggests that this process depends on nuclear myosin. Together, our data corroborate the so called "breakage first" model of the origins of recurrent reciprocal translocation.