histone acetylation mediates epigenetic regulation of transcriptional reprogramming in insects during metamorphosis, wounding and infection组蛋白乙酰化调节表观遗传调控转录重新编程的昆虫在蜕变,伤害和感染.pdfVIP

Mukherjee et al. Frontiers in Zoology 2012, 9:25 /content/9/1/25 RESEARCH Open Access Histone acetylation mediates epigenetic regulation of transcriptional reprogramming in insects during metamorphosis, wounding and infection 1 1 1,2* Krishnendu Mukherjee , Rainer Fischer and Andreas Vilcinskas Abstract Background: Gene expression in eukaryotes is regulated by histone acetylation/deacetylation, an epigenetic process mediated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) whose opposing activities are tightly regulated. The acetylation of histones by HATs increases DNA accessibility and promotes gene expression, whereas the removal of acetyl groups by HDACs has the opposite effect. Results: We explored the role of HDACs and HATs in epigenetic reprogramming during metamorphosis, wounding and infection in the lepidopteran model host Galleria mellonella. We measured the expression of genes encoding components of HATs and HDACs to monitor the transcriptional activity of each enzyme complex and found that both enzymes were upregulated during pupation. Specific HAT inhibitors were able to postpone pupation and to reduce insect survival following wounding, whereas HDAC inhibitors accelerated pupation and increased survival. The administration of HDAC inhibitors modulated the expression of effector genes with key roles in tissue remodeling (matrix metalloproteinase), the regulation of sepsis (inhibitor of metalloproteinases from insects) and host defense (antimicrobial peptides), and simultaneously induced HAT activity, suggesting that histone acetylation is regulated by a feedback mechanism. We also discovered that both the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and the human bacterial pathogen Listeria