Enhancers of the PAIR4 regulatory module promote distal VH gene recombination at the Igh locus.

While extended loop extrusion across the entire Igh locus controls VH -DJH recombination, local regulatory sequences, such as the PAIR elements, may also activate VH gene recombination in pro-B-cells. Here, we show that PAIR-associated VH 8 genes contain a conserved putative regulatory element (V8E) in their downstream sequences. To investigate the function of PAIR4 and its V8.7E, we deleted 890 kb containing all 14 PAIRs in the Igh 5' region, which reduced distal VH gene recombination over a 100-kb distance on either side of the deletion. Reconstitution by insertion of PAIR4-V8.7E strongly activated distal VH gene recombination. PAIR4 alone resulted in lower induction of recombination, indicating that PAIR4 and V8.7E function as one regulatory unit. The pro-B-cell-specific activity of PAIR4 depends on CTCF, as mutation of its CTCF-binding site led to sustained PAIR4 activity in pre-B and immature B-cells and to PAIR4 activation in T-cells. Notably, insertion of V8.8E was sufficient to activate VH gene recombination. Hence, enhancers of the PAIR4-V8.7E module and V8.8E element activate distal VH gene recombination and thus contribute to the diversification of the BCR repertoire in the context of loop extrusion.

The PAX5-JAK2 translocation acts as dual-hit mutation that promotes aggressive B-cell leukemia via nuclear STAT5 activation.

While PAX5 is an important tumor suppressor gene in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), it is also involved in oncogenic translocations coding for diverse PAX5 fusion proteins. PAX5-JAK2 encodes a protein consisting of the PAX5 DNA-binding region fused to the constitutively active JAK2 kinase domain. Here, we studied the oncogenic function of the PAX5-JAK2 fusion protein in a mouse model expressing it from the endogenous Pax5 locus, resulting in inactivation of one of the two Pax5 alleles. Pax5Jak2/+ mice rapidly developed an aggressive B-ALL in the absence of another cooperating exogenous gene mutation. The DNA-binding function and kinase activity of Pax5-Jak2 as well as IL-7 signaling contributed to leukemia development. Interestingly, all Pax5Jak2/+ tumors lost the remaining wild-type Pax5 allele, allowing efficient DNA-binding of Pax5-Jak2. While we could not find evidence for a nuclear role of Pax5-Jak2 as an epigenetic regulator, high levels of active phosphorylated STAT5 and increased expression of STAT5 target genes were seen in Pax5Jak2/+ B-ALL tumors, implying that nuclear Pax5-Jak2 phosphorylates STAT5. Together, these data reveal Pax5-Jak2 as an important nuclear driver of leukemogenesis by maintaining phosphorylated STAT5 levels in the nucleus.

The Xbp1-regulated transcription factor Mist1 restricts antibody secretion by restraining Blimp1 expression in plasma cells.

Antibody secretion by plasma cells provides acute and long-term protection against pathogens. The high secretion potential of plasma cells depends on the unfolded protein response, which is controlled by the transcription factor Xbp1. Here, we analyzed the Xbp1-dependent gene expression program of plasma cells and identified Bhlha15 (Mist1) as the most strongly activated Xbp1 target gene. As Mist1 plays an important role in other secretory cell types, we analyzed in detail the phenotype of Mist1-deficient plasma cells in Cd23-Cre Bhlha15 fl/fl mice under steady-state condition or upon NP-KLH immunization. Under both conditions, Mist1-deficient plasma cells were 1.4-fold reduced in number and exhibited increased IgM production and antibody secretion compared to control plasma cells. At the molecular level, Mist1 regulated a largely different set of target genes compared with Xbp1. Notably, expression of the Blimp1 protein, which is known to activate immunoglobulin gene expression and to contribute to antibody secretion, was 1.3-fold upregulated in Mist1-deficient plasma cells, which led to a moderate downregulation of most Blimp1-repressed target genes in the absence of Mist1. Importantly, a 2-fold reduction of Blimp1 (Prdm1) expression was sufficient to restore the cell number and antibody expression of plasma cells in Prdm1 Gfp/+ Cd23-Cre Bhlha15 fl/fl mice to the same level seen in control mice. Together, these data indicate that Mist1 restricts antibody secretion by restraining Blimp1 expression, which likely contributes to the viability of plasma cells.

Wapl repression by Pax5 promotes V gene recombination by Igh loop extrusion.

Nuclear processes, such as V(D)J recombination, are orchestrated by the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes at multiple levels, including compartments1 and topologically associated domains (TADs)2,3 consisting of chromatin loops4. TADs are formed by chromatin-loop extrusion5-7, which depends on the loop-extrusion function of the ring-shaped cohesin complex8-12. Conversely, the cohesin-release factor Wapl13,14 restricts loop extension10,15. The generation of a diverse antibody repertoire, providing humoral immunity to pathogens, requires the participation of all V genes in V(D)J recombination16, which depends on contraction of the 2.8-Mb-long immunoglobulin heavy chain (Igh) locus by Pax517,18. However, how Pax5 controls Igh contraction in pro-B cells remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that locus contraction is caused by loop extrusion across the entire Igh locus. Notably, the expression of Wapl is repressed by Pax5 specifically in pro-B and pre-B cells, facilitating extended loop extrusion by increasing the residence time of cohesin on chromatin. Pax5 mediates the transcriptional repression of Wapl through a single Pax5-binding site by recruiting the polycomb repressive complex 2 to induce bivalent chromatin at the Wapl promoter. Reduced Wapl expression causes global alterations in the chromosome architecture, indicating that the potential to recombine all V genes entails structural changes of the entire genome in pro-B cells.

Essential role for the transcription factor Bhlhe41 in regulating the development, self-renewal and BCR repertoire of B-1a cells.

Innate-like B-1a cells provide a first line of defense against pathogens, yet little is known about their transcriptional control. Here we identified an essential role for the transcription factor Bhlhe41, with a lesser contribution by Bhlhe40, in controlling B-1a cell differentiation. Bhlhe41-/-Bhlhe40-/- B-1a cells were present at much lower abundance than were their wild-type counterparts. Mutant B-1a cells exhibited an abnormal cell-surface phenotype and altered B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire exemplified by loss of the phosphatidylcholine-specific VH12Vκ4 BCR. Expression of a pre-rearranged VH12Vκ4 BCR failed to 'rescue' the mutant phenotype and revealed enhanced proliferation accompanied by increased cell death. Bhlhe41 directly repressed the expression of cell-cycle regulators and inhibitors of BCR signaling while enabling pro-survival cytokine signaling. Thus, Bhlhe41 controls the development, BCR repertoire and self-renewal of B-1a cells.

ß-catenin activity in late hypertrophic chondrocytes locally orchestrates osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis.

Trabecular bone formation is the last step in endochondral ossification. This remodeling process of cartilage into bone involves blood vessel invasion and removal of hypertrophic chondrocytes (HTCs) by chondroclasts and osteoclasts. Periosteal- and chondrocyte-derived osteoprogenitors utilize the leftover mineralized HTC matrix as a scaffold for primary spongiosa formation. Here, we show genetically that ß-catenin (encoded by Ctnnb1), a key component of the canonical Wnt pathway, orchestrates this remodeling process at multiple levels. Conditional inactivation or stabilization of ß-catenin in HTCs by a Col10a1-Cre line locally modulated osteoclastogenesis by altering the Rankl:Opg ratio in HTCs. Lack of ß-catenin resulted in a severe decrease of trabecular bone in the embryonic long bones. Gain of ß-catenin activity interfered with removal of late HTCs and bone marrow formation, leading to a continuous mineralized hypertrophic core in the embryo and resulting in an osteopetrotic-like phenotype in adult mice. Furthermore, ß-catenin activity in late HTCs is required for chondrocyte-derived osteoblastogenesis at the chondro-osseous junction. The latter contributes to the severe trabecular bone phenotype in mutants lacking ß-catenin activity in HTCs.

Molecular functions of the transcription factors E2A and E2-2 in controlling germinal center B cell and plasma cell development.

E2A is an essential regulator of early B cell development. Here, we have demonstrated that E2A together with E2-2 controlled germinal center (GC) B cell and plasma cell development. As shown by the identification of regulated E2A,E2-2 target genes in activated B cells, these E-proteins directly activated genes with important functions in GC B cells and plasma cells by inducing and maintaining DNase I hypersensitive sites. Through binding to multiple enhancers in the Igh 3' regulatory region and Aicda locus, E-proteins regulated class switch recombination by inducing both Igh germline transcription and AID expression. By regulating 3' Igk and Igh enhancers and a distal element at the Prdm1 (Blimp1) locus, E-proteins contributed to Igk, Igh, and Prdm1 activation in plasmablasts. Together, these data identified E2A and E2-2 as central regulators of B cell immunity.

Mutation in the beta subunit of F ATPase allows Kluyveromyces lactis to survive the disruption of the KlPGS1 gene.

The petite-negative yeast Kluyveromyces lactis does not tolerate the loss of phosphatidylglycerol (PG). We demonstrate that the lethality of PG loss is suppressed in strains carrying a mutation in the beta subunit of F(1) ATPase (mgi1-1). Phenotypic characterization shows that the strain lacking the phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase gene (KlPGS1) is able to grow only on glucose, but significantly more slowly and to substantially lower densities than the parental mgi1-1 strain. In addition, oxygen consumption in the DeltaKlpgs1 strain is <1% of the parental strain. Western blot analysis of mitochondrial membrane proteins shows that the amounts of some proteins are substantially decreased or even not detectable in this mutant. However, overexpression of the KlPGS1 gene under the inducible GAL1 promoter does not restore the ability of DeltaKlpgs1 cells to grow on galactose, indicating the presence of some other mutations and/or deletions in genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. We also demonstrate that DeltaKlpgs1 cells do not spontaneously lose mtDNA, but are able to survive its loss after ethidium bromide mutagenesis. Deletion of the cardiolipin synthase gene (KlCLS1) in mgi1-1 has only a minimal effect on mitochondrial physiology, and additional experiments show that this deletion is also viable in wild-type K. lactis.

Lactate utilization in mitochondria prevents Bax cytotoxicity in yeast Kluyveromyces lactis.

In a search for the physiological conditions able to suppress the disruption of electron transport through the inner mitochondrial membrane induced by Bax, we found that respiratory substrate - lactate completely abolished Bax toxicity in yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. The effect of lactate was dependent on the presence of cytochrome c, as no effect was observed in the cytochrome c null strain. The investigation of lactate effect on markers of Bax toxicity showed that: (i) oxidation of lactate did not affect the decrease in oxygen consumption, but (ii) lactate was able to diminish the generation of reactive oxygen species and simultaneously to suppress Bax-induced cell death. We show that suppression of Bax lethality in K. lactis can be, in addition to anti-apoptotic proteins, achieved also by the utilization of lactate in the mitochondria.

Identification of NF1 as a silencer protein of the human adenine nucleotide translocase-2 gene.

The human adenine nucleotide translocase-2 (ANT2) promoter contains a silencer region that confers partial repression on the heterologous herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) promoter [Barath, P., Albert-Fournier, B., Luciakova, K., Nelson, B.D. (1999) J. Biol. Chem.274, 3378-3384]. Two sequences in the silencer (Site-2 and Site-3) are protected in the DNase I assay in vitro, and one of these is a repeated GTCCTG element previously shown to act as the active repressor element. We have now purified the DNA binding protein, and identified it using MALDI-TOF MS as a 33-kDa member of the nuclear factor 1 (NF1) family of transcription factors. NF1 purified from rat liver and HeLa cell nuclei bind to both silencer Site-2 and Site-3, resulting in a DNase I footprint identical to that obtained with purified recombinant NF1. Furthermore, transient transfection experiments with reporter constructs containing mutated silencer Site-2 and/or Site-3 show that both sites contribute to repression of the HSVtk promoter. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that NF1 is bound to both elements on the endogenous HeLa cell ANT2 promoter. Our data support the belief that NF1 acts as a repressor when bound to silencing Site-2 and Site-3 of the ANT2 gene.

Repression of the human adenine nucleotide translocase-2 gene in growth-arrested human diploid cells: the role of nuclear factor-1.

Adenine nucleotide translocase-2 (ANT2) catalyzes the exchange of ATP for ADP across the mitochondrial membrane, thus playing an important role in maintaining the cytosolic phosphorylation potential required for cell growth. Expression of ANT2 is activated by growth stimulation of quiescent cells and is down-regulated when cells become growth-arrested. In this study, we address the mechanism of growth arrest repression. Using a combination of transfection, in vivo dimethyl sulfate mapping, and in vitro DNase I mapping experiments, we identified two protein-binding elements (Go-1 and Go-2) that are responsible for growth arrest of ANT2 expression in human diploid fibroblasts. Proteins that bound the Go elements were purified and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry as members of the NF1 family of transcription factors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that NF1 was bound to both Go-1 and Go-2 in quiescent human diploid cells in vivo, but not in the same cells stimulated to growth by serum. NF1 binding correlated with the disappearance of ANT2 transcripts in quiescent cells. Furthermore, overexpression of NF1-A, -C, and -X in NIH3T3 cells repressed expression of an ANT2-driven reporter gene construct. Two additional putative repressor elements in the ANT2 promoter, an Sp1 element juxtaposed to the transcription start site and a silencer centered at nucleotide -332, did not appear to contribute to growth arrest repression. Thus, enhanced binding of NF1 is a key step in the growth arrest repression of ANT2 transcription. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing a role for NF1 in growth arrest.

The antiapoptotic protein Bcl-x(L) prevents the cytotoxic effect of Bax, but not Bax-induced formation of reactive oxygen species, in Kluyveromyces lactis.

The murine proapoptotic protein Bax was expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis to investigate its effect on cell survival and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Bax expression decreased the number of cells capable of growing and forming colonies, and it increased the number of cells producing ROS, as detected by both dihydrorhodamine 123 fluorescence and the intracellular content of SH groups. Mutation in the beta-subunit of F(1)-ATPase, or mitochondrial deficiency resulting from deletion of mtDNA (rho(0) mutant), increased the sensitivity to Bax, indicating that Bax cytotoxicity does not require mitochondrial respiratory-chain functions. The antiapoptotic protein Bcl-x(L), when co-expressed with Bax, localized to the mitochondria and prevented Bax cytotoxicity. However, this co-expression did not prevent the production of ROS. These data suggest that in K. lactis cells expressing Bax, ROS are not the sine qua non of cell death and that the antiapoptotic function of Bcl-x(L) is not limited to its antioxidant property.