Temporally specific gene expression and chromatin remodeling programs regulate a conserved Pdyn enhancer.
Autor: | Phillips RA 3rd; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Wan E; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Tuscher JJ; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Reid D; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Drake OR; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Ianov L; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.; Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA., Day JJ; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Zdroj: | BioRxiv : the preprint server for biology [bioRxiv] 2023 Aug 21. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Aug 21. |
DOI: | 10.1101/2023.06.02.543489 |
Abstrakt: | Neuronal and behavioral adaptations to novel stimuli are regulated by temporally dynamic waves of transcriptional activity, which shape neuronal function and guide enduring plasticity. Neuronal activation promotes expression of an immediate early gene (IEG) program comprised primarily of activity-dependent transcription factors, which are thought to regulate a second set of late response genes (LRGs). However, while the mechanisms governing IEG activation have been well studied, the molecular interplay between IEGs and LRGs remain poorly characterized. Here, we used transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiling to define activity-driven responses in rat striatal neurons. As expected, neuronal depolarization generated robust changes in gene expression, with early changes (1 h) enriched for inducible transcription factors and later changes (4 h) enriched for neuropeptides, synaptic proteins, and ion channels. Remarkably, while depolarization did not induce chromatin remodeling after 1 h, we found broad increases in chromatin accessibility at thousands of sites in the genome at 4 h after neuronal stimulation. These putative regulatory elements were found almost exclusively at non-coding regions of the genome, and harbored consensus motifs for numerous activity-dependent transcription factors such as AP-1. Furthermore, blocking protein synthesis prevented activity-dependent chromatin remodeling, suggesting that IEG proteins are required for this process. Targeted analysis of LRG loci identified a putative enhancer upstream of Pdyn (prodynorphin), a gene encoding an opioid neuropeptide implicated in motivated behavior and neuropsychiatric disease states. CRISPR-based functional assays demonstrated that this enhancer is both necessary and sufficient for Pdyn transcription. This regulatory element is also conserved at the human PDYN locus, where its activation is sufficient to drive PDYN transcription in human cells. These results suggest that IEGs participate in chromatin remodeling at enhancers and identify a conserved enhancer that may act as a therapeutic target for brain disorders involving dysregulation of Pdyn . Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declare no competing interests. |
Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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