A7-A8 Flashcards
Plasticity (Greek “plastikos” – to mold) A phenomenon used to describe a cell that can become a different
type of cell Lineage - descendants of a common ancestor (via cell division)
* Lineage restriction – cells in a lineage have a tendency to stay within that lineage
* Differentiation the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type
* Determination cellular changes in genetic programming that will eventually induce a specific cell type.
* Cells often become determined for a future role long before they differentiate
* Commitment when the determined state of the cell becomes (largely) irreversible
* Progenitor Cell – Generic term for any cell with the capacity to divide/differentiate that is more primitive (less
differentiated) than daughter cells in the lineage.
* Lineage Reprogramming (see Transdifferentiation)
* Transdifferentation when a somatic cell transforms into another somatic cell type without an intermediate
pluripotent state or progenitor cell type - a type of metaplasia
* Transdetermination - a switch in lineage commitment in a stem or progenitor cell to a closely related cell type
–often requires cell-cell coordination and communication to differentiate new tissue type
* Lineage Priming - a molecular model of stem cell (SC) differentiation in which proliferating SCs express a
subset of genes associated to the differentiation pathways to which they can commit (e.g. HSCs)
* Programming – The pattern of gene expression that induces commitment to a specific cell type in a l
Extrinsic signals can induce a change in gene expression back to a more primitive state (de-differentiation).
* Extrinsic signals can induce a change in gene expression defining one type of differentiated cell to another.
* Transdifferentiation can occur via a relatively more primitive intermediate (dedifferentaion/redifferentation).
Genomic DNA is not often exposed, it is packed in higherorder protein complexes (chromatin).
* During M-phase the replicated DNA (from S-phase) is
most packed into ‘chromosomes’ with the two sister
‘chromatids’ held together at the centromere.
* The centromere attaches to the spindle during M-phase to
facilitate movement of sister chromatids to each pole
during telophase
Transcription factor [Activator] – promotes transcription by RNA polymerase
* Transcription factor [Repressor] – blocks transcription by RNA polymerase
* TFIID – a subunit of RNA polymerase II – the main protein complex that transcribes mRNA in eukaryotic cells.
* HDAC – Removes acetyl groups from histone causing a closed (inaccessible) chromatin structure.
Genes can be ‘active’
transcribing RNA or
not.
* This is regulated at
several levels.
‘Master’ or lineage-specifying transcription factors can
coordinate reprogramming one cell type to another.
* The initial target of these master TFs are usually other
TFs that are lineage specific.
* TFs usually bind a specific sequence of DNA
MyoD (Myoblast Determination protein) the first
lineage defining TF, discovered in 1987.
* Transgenic expression of MyoD in fibroblasts
transdifferentiates them into skeletal muscle.
* GATA1 - GATA Binding Protein 1 - regulates HSC
differentiation.
* C/EBP α - CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α –
regulates HSC differentiation.
MyoD is regulated by
hypophosphorylated RB
acting as a co-activator of
myoblast differentiation
genes
- The timing of transcription factor activity
plays a role in programming cell lineage
- C/EBPα - CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α
- A hematopoiesis and granulopoiesis
transcription factor that induces myeloid
lineage-specific genes and regulates the
cell cycle - GATA2 - GATA Binding Protein 2
- A transcription factor that promotes
hematopoietic cell differentiation
The Waddington “landscape” of cell fate decisions and the
master transcription factors for each.
During normal differentiation, more primitive cells move ‘downhill’
(metaphorically) in a lineage forming more lineage-restricted precursors
until they reach a differentiated state.
* Differentiation causes cells to move ‘uphill’ to a more primitive state. The
uphill metaphor implies that this is more difficult than progressing normally
along the differentiation lineage.
* Transdifferentiation is characterized as moving from one ‘valley’ to another,
rather than climbing back ‘uphill’ to a more primitive state.
Transcription factors almost always work as multiprotein complexes
* Rb can repress genes involved in differentiation
* Transcriptional feedback loops (positive/negative)
can reinforce a pattern of gene expression.
- PU.1 - Purine Rich Box-1 / SFFV Proviral Integration
Site-1 (Spi-1) - Transcription factor that induces genes needed
in immune/hematopotetic lineages - GATA1 - GATA Binding Protein 1
- Transcription factor that induces development
of erythrocytes and platelets (megakaryocytes) - CBP – Cyclic adenosine
monophosphate Response Element Binding
protein Binding Protein - Transcriptional co-activator
Reprogramming
a.
‘Pioneer
’ transcription factors
can access closed chromatin
.
b. Reprogramming factors
recruit other factors and work
cooperatively to activate or
inhibit target gene
expression.
c. Reprogramming factors
could refine the binding
profile of other
reprogramming factors
during direct reprogramming.
The expression of a single
reprogramming factor may
induce the expression of
lineage genes non
-specific to
the target cell type.
Remember Oct4 and Sox2 & iPSCs?
* Nucleosome depleted regions (NDRs) at
active promoters and enhancers are
occupied by transcription factors and
chromatin remodelers.
* When these are removed— for example,
during differentiation — there is now
increased nucleosomes at the regulatory
region and DNA methylation.
* DNA methylation stabilizes silent state,
promoting epigenetic inheritance during cell
division.
* OCT4 targets its own promoter to maintain
expression.
Octamer-binding transcription
factor 4 (OCT4)
* A transcription factor that
activates genes that keep
embryonic stem cells in a
pluripotent state.
* Sex determining region Y-box 2
(SOX2)
* Interacts with OCT4 to
activate pluripotent gene
expression and repress
genes involved in
differentiation
During the process of
embryonic stem cell
differentiation pluripotency
and developmental
regulatory (differentiation)
are suppressed and
somatic genes are
activated.
* When an iPSC fate is
induced, pluripotency genes
are re-activated.
* However, a problem
with some iPSCs is
that development and
somatic gene
expression is not fully
repressed like in ESCs.
Remodeler
– proteins that modify
the spacing or organization of
nucleosomes (DNA wrapped around
an octamer of histone proteins).
Reader
– a protein that senses
modifications to the exposed ‘tail’
region of histones.
Writer
– an enzyme that modifies
histone tails.
Eraser
– an enzyme that removes
modifications from histone tails.
Writer
– an enzyme that adds
methyl groups to C or A bases.
Eraser
– an enzyme that removes
methyl groups from C or A bases.
Reader
– a protein that senses
methyl
-C or methyl
-A bases
DNA methylation
Adding methyl groups to adenine (A)
and cytosine (C) is a reversible process
that can change gene activity.
* Methylation is usually repressive.
* DNA methyltransferases add methyl
groups to cytosine
* Demethylases remove methyl groups.
The cycle of DNA
methylation during
division/differentiation
- During early embryogenesis, DNA is
mostly unmethylated (top left). - As cells divide / differentiate genes
acquire DNA methylation (red circles) by
DNMT3A DNMT3B (top). - Methylation of CpG islands silences
genes. Methyl-binding proteins chase
histone H3K9 to be deaceylated then
methylated, recruiting heterochromatin
protein 1 (HP1) resulting in closed
chromatin (bottom right). - At S-phase, newly synthesized DNA (in
green) is unmethylated and the marks
must be reestablished on opposite the
existing marks. - Adult methylation patterns are erased by
epigenetic reprogramming during
embryogenesis (top left).
Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) – recruits DNA methyltransferases
* DNMT – DNA methyltransferase 1 –deposits methyl groups on newly
synthesized DNA opposite exiting marks maintaining silencing.
- H3K27 tri-methylation (H3K27Me3) is a * H3K27Me3 repressive mark.
- H3K4 tri-methylation (H3K4Me3) is an
activating mark. - Both modifications can be present. In this
case the gene is considered ‘poised’ for
transcription.
Histone subunit 3 (H3) – Lysine (K) amino
acids within the N-terminal ‘tail’ can be
modified by varying (mono, di, tri-) addition of
methyl groups.
Acetylation of the tail OF histones H2B and H4 inhibits the folding of nucleosome arrays into secondary and
tertiary chromatin structures allowing access to transcription factors and other transcription co-activators.