| First Author | Storre J | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | J Biol Chem | Volume | 280 |
| Issue | 50 | Pages | 41380-6 |
| PubMed ID | 16236716 | Mgi Jnum | J:105602 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3616108 | Doi | 10.1074/jbc.M506797200 |
| Citation | Storre J, et al. (2005) Silencing of the meiotic genes SMC1beta and STAG3 in somatic cells by E2F6. J Biol Chem 280(50):41380-6 |
| abstractText | E2F6, a member of the E2F-family of transcription factors, is a retinoblastoma protein-independent transcriptional repressor. E2F6 associates with polycomb group (Pc-G) multiprotein complexes that contain histone H3 methyltransferases, suggesting that E2F6 represses genes by covalent histone modification. However, genes that are repressed by E2F6 via a mechanism that involves histone H3 methylation have not been identified. Using cDNA microarray experiments comparing wild-type and E2f6-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we now found that E2F6 is required to silence the meiosis-specific genes SMC1beta and STAG3 in somatic cells. Re-expression of E2F6 in E2f6-/- cells was sufficient to restore their repression. E2F6 binds in vivo to the promoters of these genes through a conserved binding site. Transcriptional repression of SMC1beta and STAG3 by E2F6 involves multiple mechanisms, including methylation of histone H3 on lysine 9 and lysine 27. Our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the stable transcriptional silencing of meiotic genes in somatic cells by E2F6. |
