Lecture 14: Epigenomics Flashcards
(42 cards)
Define EPIGENETICS
- Epigenetics is the study of CHANGES in the REGULATION OF GENE ACTIVITY and expression that are NOT DEPENDENT ON GENE DNA SEQUENCES.
- Often refers to the study of single genes or sets of genes.
Epigenetics studies factors that cause:
STABLE & HERITABLE, yet REVERSIBLE, changes in the way genes are expressed WITHOUT changing their original DNA sequence.
Epigenetic changes are made
Epigenetic changes are made by ADDING OR SUBTRACTING various CHEMICAL TAGS on DNA nucleotides and histones.
➔ DNA methylation, acetylation, & phosphorylation.
DEFINE Epigenomics
Epigenomics refers to more GLOBAL ANALYSES of epigenetic changes across the ENTIRE GENOME
DNA packaging into chromatin…
HOW IS CHROMOSOME MADE?
DNA + PROTEIN (CHROMATIN) = CHROMOSOMES
DIAGRAM IN SLIDE 4
Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms control gene
expression across cell types
ZYGOTE TO
- nerve cells
- RBC
- Smooth muscle cell
- fat (adipose) cells
- intestinal epithelial cells
- Striated muscle cells
- bone tissue with OSTEOCYTES
- Loose connective tissue with fibroblasts
DIAGRAM IN SLIDE 5
Epigenetics & phenotype DIAGRAM
SLIDE 6 NEED TO UNDERSTAND VEN DIAGRAMS
- GENETICS =
SNP
MUTATIONS
GENETICS + EPIGENETICS = uRNA, ncRNA
EPIGENETICS
- CpG
methylation
- histone modification
Environment
= nutrition, drugs, toxins and pathogens
IMPORTANT DRAW
Altering chromatin structure DIAGARMS
SLIDE 7
Altering chromatin structure :
‘At least three different processes can alter gene transcription through changes in chromatin’
- modification of histone proteins
- chromatin remodelling
- DNA methylation
What are Histones? = 3
- Nucleosomes arranged as an octamer of histone proteins with PROTUDING N-TERMINAL ENDS.
- 147 bp of coiled DNA wrapped around the histones.
- Two each of the four core histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4
What is Histone H1?
Histone H1, the linker protein, is bound to DNA between nucleosomes.
Histones DIAGRAM
IMPORTANT ON SLIDE 8
What is Histone CODE?
THE PATTERN OF HISTONE MODIFICATIONS
- ‘the histone code’ - can determine HOW HISTONES BEHAVE.
THEY DEFINE THE CHROMATIN STATE.
Understanding Histone modifications and Histone code:
4
- The pattern of histone modifications - the histone code - can determine how histones behave. They define
the chromatin state.
➢ These MODIFICATIONS ARE ‘POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS’
- ➢ Many histone tags work together to
control histones. These include: - o Acetyl
- o Phosphate
- o Methyl
- o Ubiquitin
3 ➢ MODIFICATION of the HISTONE TAILS ACT AS ‘EPIGENETIC MARKS’ THAT CONTROL THE ‘EXPRESSION OR REPLICATION OF CHROMOSOMAL REGIONS’
- ‘read by transcriptional factors’
4 ➢ The ‘epigenetic marks’ in the histones are HERITABLE.
Many histone tags work together to control histones.
These include: 4
- Acetyl
- Phosphate
- Methyl
- Ubiquitin
DIAGRAM ON SLIDE 9
UNDERSTANDING ‘Active’ & ‘repressive’ histone marks = 2
1 ➢ DIFFERENT amino acids CONSTITUTING HISTONE TAILS are represented along with theDIFFERENT COVALENT MODIFICATION SPECIFIC OF EACH RESIDUE.
2 ➢ ‘Active marks’ are represented in the UPPER SECTION, and ‘repressive marks’ in the LOWER SECTION.
Active & repressive histone marks
DIAGRAM ON SLIDE 10
UNDERSTANDING HISTONE ACETYLATION: 6
1 ➢ DNA is negatively charged, whilst HISTONES are POSITIVELY CHARGED.
- ➢ Acetylation of histones occur in the LYSINE RESIDUES OF HISTONE TAILS
- ➔ NEUTRALISES
the POSITIVE LYSINE CHARGE - ➔’DECREASES HISTONE AFFINITY FOR DNA’
- ➔ DNA ‘less tightly wound’
- ➔ PERMITS TRANSCRIPTION.
Acetylated lysine residues VS Deacetylated lysine residues
➢ Acetylated lysine residues ➔ transcriptional activation (gene expression).
➢ Deacetylated lysine residues ➔ transcription repression (gene silencing).
Histone acetylation: HISTONE ACETYLASE AND HISTONE DEACETYLASE
- ➢ Histone acetylase (HAT) & histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes add/remove acetyl groups,
respectively.
HYPERACETYLATION?
➢ Histones near active genes are hyperacetylated
Understanding DNA methylation: 6
- ➢ Best understood example of EPIGENETIC GENE REGULATION.
- ➢ Most genes have ‘GC RICH AREAS’ of DNA in their promoter regions: ‘CpG islands.’
- ➢ ‘METHYLATION of C’ residues within the CpG islands leads to GENE SILENCING/REPRESSION.
- Covalent addition of a methyl group at the 5-carbon of the cytosine ring ➔ 5-
methylcytosine (5mC). - Methylation prevents binding of transcription factors and leads to condensed chromatin
➔ transcription repressed ➔ gene silencing - ➢ Demethylation ➔ EXPANDED CHROMATIN➔ TRANSCRIPTION PERMITTED.
DNA Methylation diagram
slide 12…important
DNA Methylation Continued… why is it essential? explain 4
➢ DNA methylation is essential for the NORMAL CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION IN DEVELOPMENT.
2 ➢ ~ 1.5% of human DNA is 5-methylcytosine.
3 ➢ IN SOMATIC CELLS, 5mC is almost exclusively in CpG sites.
…..4. EXCEPTION IS EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS