Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 399, Issue 1, 1 March 2015, Pages 164-176
Developmental Biology

The requirement of histone modification by PRDM12 and Kdm4a for the development of pre-placodal ectoderm and neural crest in Xenopus

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.12.028Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • PRDM12 represses the expression of neural crest genes by methylating histone H3K9.

  • PRDM12 promotes the trimethylation of H3K9 on the Foxd3, Slug, and Sox8 promoters.

  • PRDM12 MO suppresses the expression of presumptive trigeminal placode markers.

  • Kdm4a overexpression inhibits the presumptive trigeminal placode markers expression.

  • Microinjection of Kdm4a compensates for the effect of PRDM12 overexpression.

Abstract

In vertebrates, pre-placodal ectoderm and neural crest development requires morphogen gradients and several transcriptional factors, while the involvement of histone modification remains unclear. Here, we report that histone-modifying factors play crucial roles in the development of pre-placodal ectoderm and neural crest in Xenopus. During the early neurula stage, PRDM12 was expressed in the lateral pre-placodal ectoderm and repressed the expression of neural crest specifier genes via methylation of histone H3K9. ChIP-qPCR analyses indicated that PRDM12 promoted the occupancy of the trimethylated histone H3K9 (H3K9me3) on the Foxd3, Slug, and Sox8 promoters. Injection of the PRDM12 MO inhibited the expression of presumptive trigeminal placode markers and decreased the occupancy of H3K9me3 on the Foxd3 promoter. Histone demethylase Kdm4a also inhibited the expression of presumptive trigeminal placode markers in a similar manner to PRDM12 MO and could compensate for the effects of PRDM12. ChIP-qPCR analyses revealed that promotion of the occupancy of H3K9me3 on the Foxd3, Slug, and Sox8 promoters was inhibited by Kdm4a overexpression. Taken together, these data indicate that histone modification was essential for pre-placodal ectoderm and neural crest development.

Keywords

Histone modification
PRDM12
Kdm4a
Pre-placodal ectoderm
Neural crest
Xenopus

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