TY - JOUR
T1 - Role of CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin in the generation of single-cell diversity of Protocadherin-α gene expression
AU - Monahan, Kevin
AU - Rudnick, Noam D.
AU - Kehayova, Polina D.
AU - Pauli, Florencia
AU - Newberry, Kimberly M.
AU - Myers, Richard M.
AU - Maniatis, Tom
PY - 2012/6/5
Y1 - 2012/6/5
N2 - Extraordinary single-cell diversity is generated in the vertebrate nervous system by the combinatorial expression of the clustered protocadherin genes (Pcdhα, -β, and -γ). This diversity is generated by a combination of stochastic promoter choice and alternative premRNA splicing. Here we show that both the insulator-binding protein CTCF and the cohesin complex subunit Rad21 bind to two highly conserved DNA sequences, the first within and the second down-stream of transcriptionally active Pcdhα promoters. Both CTCF and Rad21 bind to these sites in vitro and in vivo, this binding directly correlates with alternative isoform expression, and knocking down CTCF expression reduces alternative isoform expression. Remarkably, a similarly spaced pair of CTCF/Rad21 binding sites was identified within a distant enhancer element (HS5-1), which is required for normal levels of alternative isoformexpression. We also identify an additional, unique regulatory role for cohesin, as Rad21 binds to another enhancer (HS7) independently of CTCF, and knockdown of Rad21 reduces expression of the constitutive, biallelically expressed Pcdhα isoforms αc1 and αc2.We propose that CTCF and the cohesin complex initiate and maintain Pcdhα promoter choice by mediating interactions between Pcdhα promoters and enhancers.
AB - Extraordinary single-cell diversity is generated in the vertebrate nervous system by the combinatorial expression of the clustered protocadherin genes (Pcdhα, -β, and -γ). This diversity is generated by a combination of stochastic promoter choice and alternative premRNA splicing. Here we show that both the insulator-binding protein CTCF and the cohesin complex subunit Rad21 bind to two highly conserved DNA sequences, the first within and the second down-stream of transcriptionally active Pcdhα promoters. Both CTCF and Rad21 bind to these sites in vitro and in vivo, this binding directly correlates with alternative isoform expression, and knocking down CTCF expression reduces alternative isoform expression. Remarkably, a similarly spaced pair of CTCF/Rad21 binding sites was identified within a distant enhancer element (HS5-1), which is required for normal levels of alternative isoformexpression. We also identify an additional, unique regulatory role for cohesin, as Rad21 binds to another enhancer (HS7) independently of CTCF, and knockdown of Rad21 reduces expression of the constitutive, biallelically expressed Pcdhα isoforms αc1 and αc2.We propose that CTCF and the cohesin complex initiate and maintain Pcdhα promoter choice by mediating interactions between Pcdhα promoters and enhancers.
KW - DNA looping
KW - Stochastic gene expression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861917541&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84861917541&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1205074109
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1205074109
M3 - Article
C2 - 22550178
AN - SCOPUS:84861917541
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 109
SP - 9125
EP - 9130
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 23
ER -