| First Author | Lee S | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Dev Cell | Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 25-37 |
| PubMed ID | 22192413 | Mgi Jnum | J:180125 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5305502 | Doi | 10.1016/j.devcel.2011.11.009 |
| Citation | Lee S, et al. (2012) UTX, a Histone H3-Lysine 27 Demethylase, Acts as a Critical Switch to Activate the Cardiac Developmental Program. Dev Cell 22(1):25-37 |
| abstractText | The removal of histone H3 lysine27 (H3K27) trimethylation mark is important for the robust induction of many cell type-specific genes during differentiation. Here we show that UTX, a H3K27 demethylase, acts as a critical switch to promote a cardiac-specific gene program. UTX-deficient ESCs failed to develop heart-like rhythmic contractions under a cardiac differentiation condition. UTX-deficient mice show severe defects in heart development and embryonic lethality. We found that UTX is recruited to cardiac-specific enhancers by associating with core cardiac transcription factors and demethylates H3K27 residues in cardiac genes. In addition, UTX facilitates the recruitment of Brg1 to the cardiac-specific enhancers. Together, our data reveal key roles for UTX in a timely transition from poised to active chromatin in cardiac genes during heart development and a fundamental mechanism by which a H3K27 demethylase triggers tissue-specific chromatin changes. |
