Distinct Roles for COMPASS Core Subunits Set1, Trx, and Trr in the Epigenetic Regulation of Drosophila Heart Development

Abstract

Highly evolutionarily conserved multiprotein complexes termed Complex of Proteins Associated with Set1 (COMPASS) are required for histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation. Drosophila Set1, Trx, and Trr form the core subunits of these complexes. We show that flies deficient in any of these three subunits demonstrated high lethality at eclosion (emergence of adult flies from their pupal cases) and significantly shortened lifespans for the adults that did emerge. Silencing Set1, trx, or trr in the heart led to a reduction in H3K4 monomethylation (H3K4me1) and dimethylation (H3K4me2), reflecting their distinct roles in H3K4 methylation. Furthermore, we studied the gene expression patterns regulated by Set1, Trx, and Trr. Each of the COMPASS core subunits controls the methylation of different sets of genes, with many metabolic pathways active early in development and throughout, while muscle and heart differentiation processes were methylated during later stages of development. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the roles of COMPASS series complex core subunits Set1, Trx, and Trr in regulating histone methylation during heart development and, given their implication in congenital heart diseases, inform research on heart disease.