Active genes are tri-methylated at K4 of histone H3.

Journal article

Lysine methylation of histones in vivo occurs in three states: mono-, di- and tri-methyl. Histone H3 has been found to be di-methylated at lysine 4 (K4) in active euchromatic regions but not in silent heterochromatic sites. Here we show that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Set1 protein can catalyse di- and tri-methylation of K4 and stimulate the activity of many genes. Using antibodies that discriminate between the di- and tri-methylated state of K4 we show that di-methylation occurs at both inactive and active euchromatic genes, whereas tri-methylation is present exclusively at active genes. It is therefore the presence of a tri-methylated K4 that defines an active state of gene expression. These findings establish the concept of methyl status as a determinant for gene activity and thus extend considerably the complexity of histone modifications.

Authors: Santos-Rosa, H; Schneider, R; Bannister, A; Sherriff, J; Bernstein, B

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Nature
• Volume: 419
• Issue: 6905
• Pages: 407-411
• Publication date: 2002-09-01
• DOI: 10.1038/nature01080
• EISSN: 1476-4687
• ISSN: 0028-0836
• Language: English
• Keywords: Lysine; Methionine; DNA-Binding Proteins; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Antibodies; Inositol; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Gene Expression Profiling; Genes, Fungal; Histones; Transcription Factors; Transcription, Genetic; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; Methylation