Epigenetics regulation plays a critical role in determining cell identity by controlling the accessibility of lineage-specific regulatory regions. In muscle stem cells, epigenetic mechanisms of how chromatin accessibility is modulated during cell fate determination are not fully understood. Here, we identified a long noncoding RNA,LncMyoD, that functions as a chromatin modulator for myogenic lineage determination and progression. The depletion ofLncMyoDin muscle stem cells led to the down-regulation of myogenic genes and defects in myogenic differentiation.LncMyoDexclusively binds with MyoD and not with other myogenic regulatory factors and promotes transactivation of target genes. The mechanistic study revealed that loss ofLncMyoDprevents the establishment of a permissive chromatin environment at myogenic E-box–containing regions, therefore restricting the binding of MyoD. Furthermore, the depletion ofLncMyoDstrongly impairs the reprogramming of fibroblasts into the myogenic lineage. Taken together, our study shows thatLncMyoDassociates with MyoD and promotes myogenic gene expression through modulating MyoD accessibility to chromatin, thereby regulating myogenic lineage determination and progression.
The intracellular level of fatty aldehydes is tightly regulated by aldehyde dehydrogenases to minimize the formation of toxic lipid and protein adducts. Importantly, the dysregulation of aldehyde dehydrogenases has been implicated in neurologic disorder and cancer in humans. However, cellular responses to unresolved, elevated fatty aldehyde levels are poorly understood. Here, we report that ALH-4 is a C. elegans aldehyde dehydrogenase that specifically associates with the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and peroxisomes. Based on lipidomic and imaging analysis, we show that the loss of ALH-4 increases fatty aldehyde levels and reduces fat storage. ALH-4 deficiency in the intestine, cell-nonautonomously induces NHR-49/NHR-79-dependent hypodermal peroxisome proliferation. This is accompanied by the upregulation of catalases and fatty acid catabolic enzymes, as indicated by RNA sequencing. Such a response is required to counteract ALH-4 deficiency since alh-4; nhr-49 double mutant animals are sterile. Our work reveals unexpected inter-tissue communication of fatty aldehyde levels and suggests pharmacological modulation of peroxisome proliferation as a therapeutic strategy to tackle pathology related to excess fatty aldehydes.
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