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- Title
Active genes are tri-methylated at K4 of histone H3.
- Authors
Santos-Rosa, Helena; Schneider, Robert; Bannister, Andrew J.; Sherriff, Julia; Bernstein, Bradley E.; Emre, N. C. Tolga; Schreiber, Stuart L.; Mellor, Jane; Kouzarides, Tony
- Abstract
Lysine methylation of histones in vivo occurs in three states: mono-, di- and tri-methyl. Histone H3 has been found to be di-methylated at lysine 4 (K4) in active euchromatic regions but not in silent heterochromatic sites. Here we show that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Set1 protein can catalyse di- and tri-methylation of K4 and stimulate the activity of many genes. Using antibodies that discriminate between the di- and tri-methylated state of K4 we show that di-methylation occurs at both inactive and active euchromatic genes, whereas tri-methylation is present exclusively at active genes. It is therefore the presence of a tri-methylated K4 that defines an active state of gene expression. These findings establish the concept of methyl status as a determinant for gene activity and thus extend considerably the complexity of histone modifications.
- Subjects
GENE expression; HISTONES
- Publication
Nature, 2002, Vol 419, Issue 6905, p407
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nature01080