Although the function and the gene expression levels of histone modification enzymes showed a similar pattern in microglia and macrophages during inflammation, the expression of transcription-related elements in both cell types showed a completely different pattern.

The removal of histone H3 trimethylation at lysine residue 27 (H3K27me3) plays a critical role in the transcriptional initiation of developmental genes. The H3K27me3-specific KDM6 demethylases JMJD3 and UTX are responsible for the transcriptional initiation of various developmental genes, but some genes are expressed in a KDM6 demethylase-independent manner. To address the role of H3K27me3 in the retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiation of the human carcinoma NCCIT cell line, we inhibited JMJD3 and UTX using the H3K27me3 demethylase inhibitor GSK-J4. The commitment of JMJD3/UTX-inhibited cells to a specific fate was delayed, and transcriptome profiling also revealed the differential expression of genes related to cell fate specification in demethylase-inactivated cells; the expression levels of RA metabolism and HOX family genes significantly decreased. We observed a weak correlation between H3K27me3 enrichment and transcriptional repression in the control and JMJD/UTX-inhibited cells, except for a few sets of developmental genes that are indispensable for cell fate specification. Taken together, these results provide the H3K27me3 landscape of a differentiating cell line and suggest that both demethylase-dependent and demethylase-independent transcriptional regulation play a role in early differentiation and developmental gene expression activated by H3K27me3 demethylation.

Bacillus (B.) anthracis is the pathogen that causes fatal anthrax. Strain-specific detection of this bacterium using molecular approaches has enhanced our knowledge of microbial population genetics. In the present study, we employed molecular approaches including multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and canonical single-nucleotide polymorphism (canSNP) analysis to perform molecular typing of B. anthracis strains isolated in Korea. According to the MLVA, 17 B. anthracis isolates were classified into A3a, A3b, and B1 clusters. The canSNP analyses subdivided the B. anthracis isolates into two of the three previously recognized major lineages (A and B). B. anthracis isolates from Korea were found to belong to four canSNP sub-groups (B.Br.001/2, A.Br.005/006, A.Br.001/002, and A.Br.Ames). The A.Br.001/002 and A.Br.Ames sub-lineages are closely related genotypes frequently found in central Asia and most isolates were. On the other hand, B. anthracis CH isolates were analyzed that belonged to the B.Br.001/002 sub-group which found in southern Africa, Europe and California (USA). B.Br.001/002 genotype is new lineage of B. anthracis in Korea that was not found before. This discovery will be helpful for the creation of marker systems and might be the result of human activity through the development of agriculture and increased international trade in Korea.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by the aerobic sporeforming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which is an important pathogen owing to its ability to be used as a terror agent. B. anthracis spores can escape phagocytosis and initiate the germination process even in antimicrobial conditions, such as oxidative stress. To analyze the oxidative stress response in B. anthracis and thereby learn how to prevent antimicrobial resistance, we performed protein expression profiling of B. anthracis strain HY1 treated with 0.3 mM hydrogen peroxide using a comparative proteomics-based approach. The results showed a total of 60 differentially expressed proteins; among them, 17 showed differences in expression over time. We observed time-dependent changes in the production of metabolic and repair/protection signaling proteins. These results will be useful for uncovering the metabolic pathways and protection mechanisms of the oxidative response in B. anthracis.

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Compared to other cancers affecting women, breast cancer is significantly associated with alcohol consumption. However, the principles underlying the carcinogenesis of alcohol-induced breast cancer and the related metastatic mechanisms have yet to be established. To observe the effect of alcohol on the growth regulation in breast cancer cells, we identified differentially expressed proteins in alcohol-exposed human breast cancer T47D cells using gel-based proteomics analysis. The expression of c-ros receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1) was increased and activated by autophosphorylation, thereby activating mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1) through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway; activated MSK1, in turn, phosphorylated histone 3 serine 10 (H3S10p) residues in the nucleus. The increase in H3S10 phosphorylation consequently increased the level of expression of immediate-early gene such as c-fos. This study demonstrated that when breast cancer cells are exposed to alcohol, phosphorylated ROS1 activates MSK1 via ERK1/2 in the MAPK pathway, which then induces modifications to histone residues that regulate gene expression by 14-3-3 protein recruitment, leading to a lack of control of breast cancer cell proliferation.

BackgroundHost-specific environmental factors induce changes in Bacillus anthracis gene transcription during infection. A global transcription regulator, CodY, plays a pivotal role in regulating central metabolism, biosynthesis, and virulence in B. anthracis. In this study, we utilized RNA-sequencing to assess changes in the transcriptional patterns of CodY-regulated B. anthracis genes in response to three conditions of environmental starvation: iron, CO2, or glucose deprivation. In addition, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation on newly identified CodY-mediated genes.ResultsEnvironmental deprivation induced transcriptional changes in CodY-regulated genes in both wild-type and codY null strains, and both CodY-specific and environment-specific patterns were observed. In the iron-depleted condition, overexpression of iron homeostasis genes was observed independent of codY deletion; however, transcription of siderophore and amino acid biosynthesis genes was CodY dependent. Although CodY has a significant regulatory role in central metabolism and the carbon overflow pathway, metabolism-associated genes exhibited CodY-independent expression patterns under glucose starvation. Genes that were differentially expressed in response to CO2 availability showed CodY-dependent regulation, though their maximal expression did require a supply of CO2/bicarbonate.ConclusionsWe speculate that CodY regulates the expression of environmental-responsive genes in a hierarchical manner and is likely associated with other transcription regulators that are specific for a particular environmental change.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3004-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

RelA and SpoT synthesize ppGpp, a key effector molecule that facilitates the adaptation of bacteria to nutrient starvation and other stresses, known as the stringent response. To investigate the role of Rsh Bant , a putative RelA/SpoT homolog (encoded by BAS4302) in Bacillus anthracis, we examined the alteration of the secretome profiles after the overexpression of a functional His-Rsh Bant protein in the B. anthracis strain Sterne at the stationary growth phase. In the ppGpp-deficient E. coli mutant strain CF1693, overexpression of Rsh Bant restored a ppGpp-dependent growth defect on minimal glucose media. The secretome profiles obtained using a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis were altered by overexpression of Rsh Bant in B. anthracis. Among the 66 protein spots differentially expressed >1.5-fold, the 29 proteins were abundant for further identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Functional categorization of those proteins implicated their involvement in various biological activities. Taken together, our results imply that overexpression of a functional His-Rsh Bant can lead to the increased levels of intracellular ppGpp in B. anthracis, resulting in the significant changes in its secretome profiling. The stringent response-controlled proteins identified are likely useful as potential targets for serodiagnostic applications.