Histone acetyltransferase-dependent chromatin remodeling and the vascular clock

J Biol Chem. 2004 Feb 20;279(8):7091-7. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M311973200. Epub 2003 Nov 26.

Abstract

Rhythmic gene expression is central to the circadian control of physiology in mammals. Transcriptional activation of Per and Cry genes by heterodimeric bHLH-PAS proteins is a key event in the feedback loop that drives rhythmicity; however, the mechanism is not clearly understood. Here we show the transcriptional coactivators and histone acetyltransferases, p300/CBP, PCAF, and ACTR associate with the bHLH-PAS proteins, CLOCK and NPAS2, to regulate positively clock gene expression. Furthermore, Cry2 mediated repression of NPAS2:BMAL1 is overcome by overexpression of p300 in transactivation assays. Accordingly, p300 exhibits a circadian time-dependent association with NPAS2 in the vasculature, which precedes peak expression of target genes. In addition, a rhythm in core histone H3 acetylation on the mPer1 promoter in vivo correlates with the cyclical expression of their mRNAs. Temporal coactivator recruitment and HAT-dependent chromatin remodeling on the promoter of clock controlled genes in the vasculature permits the mammalian clock to orchestrate circadian gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Acetyltransferases / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • CLOCK Proteins
  • Chromatin / chemistry*
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Dimerization
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • HeLa Cells
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA / chemistry
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Time Factors
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Chromatin
  • Histones
  • NPAS2 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Npas2 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • RNA
  • Acetyltransferases
  • CLOCK Proteins
  • CLOCK protein, human
  • Clock protein, mouse
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein
  • Ep300 protein, mouse
  • Histone Acetyltransferases