Changes in histone post-translational modifications are associated with aging through poorly defined mechanisms. Histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation at promoters is deposited by SET1 family methyltransferases acting within conserved multiprotein complexes known as COMPASS. Previous work yielded conflicting results about the requirement for H3K4 methylation during aging. Here, we reassessed the role of SET1/COMPASS–dependent H3K4 methylation in Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan and fertility by generating set-2(syb2085) mutant animals that express a catalytically inactive form of SET-2, the C. elegans SET1 homolog. We show that set-2(syb2085) animals retain the ability to form COMPASS, but have a marked global loss of H3K4 di- and trimethylation (H3K4me2/3). Reduced H3K4 methylation was accompanied by loss of fertility, as expected; however, in contrast to earlier studies, set-2(syb2085) mutants displayed a significantly shortened, not extended, lifespan and had normal intestinal fat stores. Other commonly used set-2 mutants were also short-lived, as was a cfp-1 mutant that lacks the SET1/COMPASS chromatin-targeting component. These results challenge previously held views and establish that WT H3K4me2/3 levels are essential for normal lifespan in C. elegans.

Post-translational modification of histones, particularly lysine methylation, are thought to play a crucial role in the aging process. Histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation, a modification associated with active chromatin, is mediated by a family of SET1 methyltransferases acting within conserved multiprotein complexes known as COMPASS. Previous work in model organisms with partial or complete deletion of COMPASS subunits has yielded conflicting results about the requirement for H3K4 methylation during aging. Here, we reassessed the role of SET1/COMPASS-dependent H3K4 methylation in Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan regulation and fertility by generating set-2(syb2085) mutant animals that express a catalytically inactive form of SET-2, the C. elegans homolog of SET1. We show that animals bearing catalytically inactive SET-2 retain the ability to form COMPASS complexes but have a marked global loss of H3K4 dimethylation and trimethylation. Consistent with previous work, reduced H3K4 methylation was accompanied by loss of fertility; however, in striking contrast to earlier studies, set-2(syb2085) mutants displayed a significantly shortened, not extended, lifespan and had normal intestinal fat stores. Furthermore, other commonly used set-2 mutants were also short-lived, as was a cfp-1 mutant that lacks a non-catalytic SET1/COMPASS component and displays reduced H3K4 methylation. These results challenge previously held views and establish that wild-type H3K4 methylation levels are necessary to achieve a normal lifespan in C. elegans.

Deposition of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation at promoters is catalyzed by the SET1/COMPASS complex and is associated with context-dependent effects on gene expression and local changes in chromatin organization. The role of SET1/COMPASS in shaping chromosome architecture has not been investigated. Here we used Caenorhabditis elegans to address this question through a live imaging approach and genetic analysis. Using quantitative FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer)-based fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) on germ cells expressing histones eGFP-H2B and mCherry-H2B, we find that SET1/COMPASS influences meiotic chromosome organization, with marked effects on the close proximity between nucleosomes. We further show that inactivation of set-2, encoding the C. elegans SET1 homologue, or CFP-1, encoding the chromatin targeting subunit of COMPASS, enhances germline chromosome organization defects and sterility of condensin-II depleted animals. set-2 loss also aggravates germline defects resulting from conditional inactivation of topoisomerase II, another structural component of chromosomes. Expression profiling of set-2 mutant germlines revealed only minor transcriptional changes, suggesting that the observed effects are at least partly independent of transcription. Altogether, our results are consistent with a role for SET1/COMPASS in shaping meiotic chromosomes in C. elegans, together with the non-histone proteins condensin-II and topoisomerase. Given the high degree of conservation, our findings expand the range of functions attributed to COMPASS and suggest a broader role in genome organization in different species.