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<p>KDM5b acts as a transcriptional repressor through its ability to demethylate tri-methylated lysine (K) 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3). Demethylation of this histone modification leads to transcriptional repression and downstream biological effects on gene expression. KDM5b is involved in the regulation of differentiation and can exert an oncogenic and a tumour suppressive role depending on cellular context, making it an attractive future target for pharmaceutical intervention. Work from our group has shown that KDM5b expression is linked to differentiation, and that recruitment of the enzyme does not always result in an alteration of H3K4me3. Additionally, work from our group, as well as others, has failed to observe H3K4me3 demethylation by KDM5b in nucleosomal preparations. We therefore hypothesized that KDM5b may exert its demethylase potential on alternative histone targets and that KDM5b requires enzymatic co-factors to demethylate nucleosomes, similar to what is observed for other histone-modifying proteins. In this thesis, we describe KDM5b as having an alternate histone target, di-methylated histone H2B lysine 43 (H2BK43me2). We show that this methyl mark is the primary target for KDM5b, and that the expression level of H2BK43me2 is directly related to the process of differentiation. We additionally present a novel co-factor for KDM5b, the co-repressor TLE4 of the Groucho/TLE family. The presence of TLE4 is required and sufficient to confer nucleosomal demethylase activity to KDM5b, a novel discovery for any of the KDM5 family members. Overall, this work has described both an additional KDM5b target, and detailed requirements for KDM5b nucleosomal demethylation, advancing our understanding of how this enzyme is regulated <em>in vivo</em>. The novel aspects of KDM5b regulation presented within this thesis provide a framework from which future studies can be designed. This work contributes to our overall understanding of epigenetic regulation and will potentially aid in the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Advances in several areas of scientific research is currently hampered by the slow progress in developing a non-viral, high precision technique capable of safely and efficiently injecting targeted single cells with impermeable molecules. To date, one of the most promising techniques employs the laser to temporarily create a pore in the cell membrane to allow the entry of exogenous molecules. This technique has potentially wide applications. In this thesis, I utilised the precision of laser transfection, also known as optoporation, to deliver two histone demethylase inhibitors (8-hydroxyquinoline and FMF1293) of the JmjC-domain protein JMJD3 into vital cells. The enzyme, JMJD3, demethylates histone H3 lysine K27, the methylation state of which has been shown in previous studies to regulate genes in such a way as to play a key role in the formation of tumours and even maintenance of stem cell pluripotency. The research here shows proof of principle that optoporation can be employed to quickly screen and test the efficacy of novel drugs by delivering them into cells at significantly low concentrations while still maintaining inhibition activity. I also used optoporation to deliver relatively large proteins such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), phalloidin and novel synthetic antibodies into living cells without fixatives. This offers the possibility of using reporter systems to monitor living cells over time. Finally, an attempt was made to generate iPS colonies by optoporating plasmid DNA into somatic cells, however, I find that this technique was unable to efficiently transfect and reprogram primary cells. Two automated image-based systems that can be integrated into existing microscopes are presented here. First, an image processing algorithm that can quickly identify stem cell colonies non-invasively was implemented. When tested, the algorithm’s resulting specificity was excellent (95 – 98.5%). Second, because optoporation is a manual and time consuming procedure, an algorithm to automate optoporation by using image processing to locate the position of cells was developed. To my knowledge, this is the first publication of a system which automates optoporation of human fibroblasts in this way.

La symbiose légumineuse/rhizobium résulte en la formation d’un nouvel organe racinaire, le nodule, au sein duquel une induction coordonnée et massive de milliers de gènes a lieu. Plusieurs gènes contrôlant la méthylation de l’ADN sont régulés de façon spatiale au sein des nodules de Medicago truncatula, dont notamment un gène codant pour une déméthylase, DEMETER (DME), fortement exprimé dans la zone de différenciation. Ici, nous montrons que MtDME est essentiel pour le développement du nodule et qu’il régule l’expression de 1425 gènes, dont certains essentiels pour la différenciation des cellules de plantes et des bactéries. Une approche de séquençage bisulfite couplée à une capture génomique nous a permis d’identifier 474 régions qui sont différentiellement méthylées au cours du développement nodulaire, comportant notamment des gènes codant pour des peptides NCRs (Nodule-specific Cysteine-Rich). La diminution de l’expression de MtDME par ARN interférant mène à l’hyperméthylation et à la down-régulation de 400 gènes, la plupart d’entre eux étant associés à la différenciation du nodule. Une reprogrammation massive de l’expression génique via la déméthylation de l’ADN représente donc un nouveau mécanisme épigénétique qui contrôle une étape clé de l’organogenèse des nodules indéterminés durant l’interaction symbiotique. / The legume-Rhizobium symbiosis leads to the formation a new organ, the root nodule, involving coordinated and massive induction of specific genes. Several genes controlling DNA methylation are spatially regulated within the Medicago truncatula nodule, with notably a demethylase gene, DEMETER (DME), mostly expressed in the differentiation zone. Here, we show that MtDME is essential for nodule development and regulates the expression of 1425 genes, certain critical for plant and bacterial cell differentiation. Bisulphite sequencing coupled to genomic capture enabled the identification of 474 regions that are differentially methylated during nodule development, including notably Nodule-specific Cysteine-Rich peptide genes. Decreasing DME expression by RNA interference led to hypermethylation and concomitant downregulation of 400 genes, most of them associated with nodule differentiation. Massive reprogramming of gene expression through DNA de-methylation is a new epigenetic mechanism controlling a key stage of indeterminate nodule organogenesis during symbiotic interactions.

While the role of cholesterol in liver carcinogenesis remains controversial, hepatocellular carcinoma generally prevails in males. Herein, we uncover pathways of female-prevalent progression to hepatocellular carcinoma due to chronic repression of cholesterogenic lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) in hepatocytes. Tumors develop in knock-out mice after year one, with 2:1 prevalence in females. Metabolic and transcription factor networks were deduced from the liver transcriptome data, combined by sterol metabolite and blood parameter analyses, and interpreted with relevance to humans. Female knock-outs show increased plasma cholesterol and HDL, dampened lipid-related transcription factors FXR, LXRα:RXRα, and importantly, crosstalk between reduced LXRα and activated TGF-β signalling, indicating a higher susceptibility to HCC in aging females. PI3K/Akt signalling and ECM-receptor interaction are common pathways that are disturbed by sex-specific altered genes. Additionally, transcription factors (SOX9)2 and PPARα were recognized as important for female hepatocarcinogenesis, while overexpressed Cd36, a target of nuclear receptor RORC, is a new male-related regulator of ECM-receptor signalling in hepatocarcinogenesis. In conclusion, we uncover the sex-dependent metabolic reprogramming of cholesterol-related pathways that predispose for hepatocarcinogenesis in aging females. This is important in light of increased incidence of liver cancers in post-menopausal women.

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Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-09-12T18:24:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Larissa Henriques Evangelista Castro.pdf: 3738174 bytes, checksum: 04e651a55fa9b4054c2810389592be67 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-12T18:24:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Larissa Henriques Evangelista Castro.pdf: 3738174 bytes, checksum: 04e651a55fa9b4054c2810389592be67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-02 / CAPES / CNPq / FAPERJ / Trypanosoma cruzi is the parasite that causes american trypanosomiasis (or Chagas disease), a neglected tropical disease previously restricted to South and Central Americas and Mexico, but now with several cases around the world. Currently in Brazil, the treatment of Chagas disease is done, only using benznidazole, which is not effective for the disease?s chronic phase and causes aggressive side effects, which explains the necessity of researches to find novel anti-Chagas compounds. A strategy adopted for the development of bioactive compounds against T. cruzi consists on the inhibition of the sterol 14?-demethylase enzyme (CYP51), which is essential for the parasite?s cellular membrane integrity. The inhibition can be achieved by a complexation of heterocyclic ring-containing compounds with the iron atom of heme group, present on CYP51. Thus, molecular modeling techniques were used on this study to analyze the interaction of a heterocyclic compounds (with known activity) with T. cruzi CYP51 in order to obtain the necessary information to construct an effective model for the theoretical activity prediction of these and also novel compounds. The proposed model presented a good multiple correlation coefficient (r? = 0.84) with the terms used to its construction. The model was used to help the design of novel piperine derivatives with a triazole ring, that presented promising theorical activities against T. cruzi CYP51, calculated by the model. The most promising compounds were selected and synthesized with the purpose of being tested in vitro and in vivo against T. cruzi. / O Trypanosoma cruzi ? o parasito causador da tripanossom?ase americana (Doen?a de Chagas), uma doen?a tropical negligenciada antes restrita ? Am?rica do Sul, Am?rica Central e M?xico, mas que vem apresentando um n?mero cada vez maior de casos no mundo. Atualmente, o tratamento da Doen?a de Chagas no Brasil ? limitado ao uso do f?rmaco benzonidazol, que ? pouco eficaz para a fase cr?nica da doen?a e causa efeitos colaterais agressivos, o que torna a pesquisa por novos f?rmacos imprescind?vel. Uma estrat?gia adotada para o desenvolvimento de compostos bioativos contra T. cruzi consiste na inibi??o de uma enzima essencial para a integridade da membrana celular do parasito, a enzima esterol 14?-desmetilase (CYP51), causada pela coordena??o de compostos contendo an?is heteroc?clicos com o ?tomo de ferro do grupo heme presente na enzima, fundamental para a atividade. Dessa maneira, foram utilizadas nesse estudo t?cnicas de modelagem molecular, incluindo docagem molecular e c?lculos qu?nticos semi-emp?ricos, para analisar a intera??o de uma s?rie de compostos heteroc?clicos de atividade conhecida sobre a CYP51 do T. cruzi e com isso se obter informa??es necess?rias para a constru??o de um modelo efetivo para a previs?o te?rica da atividade destes compostos. O modelo proposto apresentou um bom coeficiente de correla??o m?ltipla com os termos utilizados para sua constru??o, com um r?=0,84. Esse modelo foi utilizado para o planejamento de novos triaz?is derivados da piperina, com atividade te?rica calculada promissora contra a CYP51 de T. cruzi. Alguns dos melhores compostos foram selecionados e sintetizados neste projeto, com a proposta de serem avaliados em testes in vitro e in vivo contra a doen?a de Chagas.

Alors que les méthylations sur différents résidus lysine des histones (par exemple H3K4, H3K27 et H3K36) sont bien connues pour exercer diverses fonctions biologiques, leurs interactions et/ou leur mode d’actions demeurent encore peu caractérisés. Par la génétique et des outils de biologie moléculaire, nous visons à étudier les rôles et interconnections des méthylations des H3K4, H3K27 et H3K36 dans la transcription, la croissance de la plante et la régulation du développement chez Arabidopsis thaliana.La première partie de ma thèse est centrée sur les rôles et interconnections des méthylations de H3K4 and K36.ATX1 et ATX2 sont des méthyltransférases de H3K4 alors que SDG8 est une méthyltransférase de H3K36.L’analyse de doubles mutants a révélé que sdg8 est dominant sur atx1 et atx2 pour le temps de floraison et larégulation de la prolifération cellulaire. La triméthylation de H3K36 (H3K36me3) est partiellement dépendante de H3K4me3 mais non-réciproquement. SDG25 a une double activité H3K4me3 et H3K36me3 et les déméthylases de H3K4, LDL1 et LDL2, sont des antagonistes de l’activité de SDG25. Les triples mutants sdg25ldl1ldl2 fleurissent plus tôt que la lignée sauvage, mais plus tard que sdg25 et montrent une augmentation de taille de cellule similaire à celle des mutants ldl1ldl2.La deuxième partie de ma thèse se concentre sur les rôles et interconnections entre les méthylations H3K4/K36 et H3K27. CLF catalyse les H3K27me3 au sein du complexe PRC2. Les doubles mutants sdg8clf etsdg25clf fleurissent plus tôt que les mutants simples et montrent un nombre réduit de cellules par feuille. Unniveau plus élevé de H3K4me3 et dans une moindre mesure de H3K36me3 a été observé dans le cas de déposition de H3K27me3 réduite, et de la même façon, une déposition de H3K4me3/H3K36me3 réduite augmente aussi le niveau de H3K27me3. Distinct du rôle antagoniste rapporté auparavant entre CLF et ATX1,CLF n’a pas montré d’antagonisme avec SDG25 ou SDG8.La dernière partie de ma thèse est centrée sur le mécanisme de SDG26 dans la régulation du temps de floraison. Mes résultats ont montré que SDG26 est une méthyltransférase H3K4 et/ou H3K36 spécifique de la chromatine de SOC1, un intégrateur de la floraison actif. De manière similaire à SDG25 et SDG8, SDG26 ne travaillait pas de façon antagoniste avec CLF. L’analyse de doubles mutants a révélé que sdg26 domine atx2mais sdg25, atx1 and clf est dominant sur sdg26 pours le temps de floraison et la régulation de la prolifération cellulaire. Les triples mutants sdg26ldl1ldl2 fleurissaient encore plus tard que les mutants sdg26 et ldl1ldl2 et a révélé que sdg26 est dominant sur ldl1ldl2 lors de la régulation de la prolifération cellulaire. Les analysesd’interaction avec les autres composants de PRC2, VEL1 et VRN5, ont révélé que sdg26vel1 et sdg26vrn5 fleurissaient encore plus tard que les mutants simples dans des conditions de jours courts et de vernalisation. Ensemble, mes résultats révèlent des couches additionnelles de complexité de redondance et de diversification de fonctions entre et au sein des méthyltransférases et déméthylases, pour la transcription, le temps de floraison et la régulation de la prolifération cellulaire chez Arabidopsis. / While methylations at different lysine residues of histones (e.g. H3K4, H3K27 and H3K36) are well known to exert diverse biological functions, their interactions and/or ensemble-actions remain poorly characterized so far.Using genetic and molecular biology tools, we aim to investigate roles and ‘crosstalks’ of H3K4, H3K27 andH3K36 methylations in transcription and plant growth and development regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana.The first part of my thesis focuses on the roles and crosstalks between H3K4 and K36 methylations.ATX1 and ATX2 are H3K4 methyltransferases while SDG8 is a H3K36 methyltransferase. Double mutant analysis revealed that sdg8 dominates over atx1 and atx2 in flowering time and cell proliferation regulation.H3K36 trimethylation (H3K36me3) is partially dependent on H3K4me3 but not vice versa. SDG25 has a dualH3K4me3 and H3K36me3 activity and the H3K4-demethylases LDL1 and LDL2 antagonize SDG25 activity.The sdg25ldl1ldl2 triple mutants flowered earlier than wild type but later than sdg25 and showed an increased cell size similarly to ldl1ldl2 mutantsThe second part of my thesis focuses on the roles and crosstalks between H3K4/K36 and H3K27methylations. CLF within PRC2 complex catalyzes H3K27me3. The sdg8clf and sdg25clf double mutants flowered earlier than the single mutants and showed a reduced number of cells per leaf. An increased level ofH3K4me3 and to a less extent H3K36me3 was observed upon impaired H3K27me3 deposition, and similarly impaired H3K4me3/H3K36me3 deposition also enhanced H3K27me3 level. Distinct from previously reported antagonistic role between CLF and ATX1, CLF did not show antagonism with SDG25 or SDG8.The last part of my thesis focuses on mechanism of SDG26 in flowering time regulation. My result showed that SDG26 is a H3K4 and/or H3K36 methyltransferase specific at chromatin of SOC1, an activeflowering integrator. Similarly to SDG25 and SDG8, SDG26 did not work antagonistically with CLF. Double mutant analysis revealed that sdg26 dominates over atx2 while sdg25, atx1 and clf dominate over sdg26 inflowering time and cell proliferation regulation. The sdg26ldl1ldl2 triple mutants flowered even later than thesdg26 and ldl1ldl2 mutants and showed that sdg26 dominates over ldl1ldl2 in cell proliferation regulation.Interaction analysis with the other PRC2 components VEL1 and VRN5 revealed that sdg26vel1 and sdg26vrn5flowered even later than the single mutants under short day and vernalization conditions.Together, my study revealed additional layers of complexity of overlap and non-overlap functions between and within methyltransferases and demethylases in transcription, flowering time and cell proliferation regulation in Arabidopsis.

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Proteinmethylierung spielt eine immer größere Rolle in der Regulierung zellulärer Prozesse. Die Entwicklung effizienter proteomweiter Methoden zur Detektion von Methylierung auf Proteinen ist limitiert und technisch schwierig. In dieser Arbeit haben wir einen neuen Hefe-Zwei-Hybrid-Ansatz (Y2H) entwickelt, der Proteine, die miteinander wechselwirken, mit Hilfe von Sequenzierungen der zweiten Generation identifiziert (Y2H-Seq). Der neue Y2H-Seq-Ansatz wurde systematisch mit dem Y2H-Seq-Ansatz verglichen. Dafür wurde ein Bait-Set von 8 Protein-Arginin-Methyltransferasen, 17 Protein-Lysin-Methyltransferasen und 10 Demethylasen gegen 14,268 Prey-Proteine getestet. Der Y2H-Seq-Ansatz ist weniger arbeitsintensiv, hat eine höhere Sensitivität als der Standard Y2H-Matrix-Ansatz und ist deshalb besonders geeignet, um schwache Interaktionen zwischen Substraten und Protein-Methyltransferasen zu detektieren. Insgesamt wurden 523 Wechselwirkungen zwischen 22 Bait-Proteinen und 324 Prey-Pr oteinen etabliert, darunter 11 bekannte Methyltransferasen-Substrate. Netzwerkanalysen zeigen, dass Methyltransferasen bevorzugt mit Transkriptionsregulatoren, DNA- und RNA-Bindeproteinen wechselwirken. Diese Daten repräsentieren das erste proteomweite Wechselwirkungsnetzwerk über Protein-Methyltransferasen und dienen als Ressource für neue potentielle Methylierungssubstrate. In einem in vitro Methylierungsassay wurden exemplarisch mit Hilfe massenspektrometrischer Analysen die methylierten Aminosäurereste einiger Kandidatenproteine bestimmt. Von neun getesteten Proteinen waren sieben methyliert, zu denen gehören SPIN2B, DNAJA3, QKI, SAMD3, OFCC1, SYNCRIP und WDR42A. Wahrscheinlich sind viele Methylierungssubstrate im Netzwerk vorhanden. Das vorgestellte Protein-Protein-Wechselwirkungsnetzwerk zeigt, dass Proteinmethylierung sehr unterschiedliche zelluläre Prozesse beeinflusst und ermöglicht die Aufstellung neuer Hypothesen über die Regulierung Molekularer Mechanismen durch Methylierung. / Protein methylation on arginine and lysine residues is a largely unexplored posttranslational modification which regulates diverse cellular processes. The development of efficient proteome-wide approaches for detecting protein methylation is limited and technically challenging. We developed a novel workload reduced yeast-two hybrid (Y2H) approach to detect protein-protein interactions utilizing second generation sequencing. The novel Y2H-seq approach was systematically evaluated against our state of the art Y2H-matrix screening approach and used to screen 8 protein arginine methyltransferases, 17 protein lysine methyltransferases and 10 demethylases against a set of 14,268 proteins. Comparison of the two approaches revealed a higher sensitivity of the new Y2H-seq approach. The increased sampling rate of the Y2H-seq approach is advantageous when assaying transient interactions between substrates and methyltransferases. Overall 523 interactions between 22 bait proteins and 324 prey proteins were identified including 11 proteins known to be methylated. Network analysis revealed enrichment of transcription regulator activity, DNA- and RNA-binding function of proteins interacting with protein methyltransferases. The dataset represents the first proteome-wide interaction network of enzymes involved in methylation and provides a comprehensively annotated resource of potential new methylation substrates. An in vitro methylation assay coupled to mass spectrometry revealed amino acid methylation of candidate proteins. Seven of nine proteins tested were methylated including SPIN2B, DNAJA3, QKI, SAMD3, OFCC1, SYNCRIP and WDR42A indicating that the interaction network is likely to contain many putative methyltransferase substrate pairs. The presented protein-protein interaction network demonstrates that protein methylation is involved in diverse cellular processes and can inform hypothesis driven investigation into molecular mechanisms regulated through methylation.