Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.

Inappropriate activation of c-Myc (MYC) gene expression by the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway is required for colorectal carcinogenesis. The elevated MYC levels in colon cancer cells are attributed in part to ß-catenin/TCF4 transcription complexes that are assembled at proximal Wnt/ß-catenin respon...

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Main Author: Gregory S Yochum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-04-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3080403?pdf=render
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author Gregory S Yochum
author_facet Gregory S Yochum
author_sort Gregory S Yochum
collection DOAJ
description Inappropriate activation of c-Myc (MYC) gene expression by the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway is required for colorectal carcinogenesis. The elevated MYC levels in colon cancer cells are attributed in part to ß-catenin/TCF4 transcription complexes that are assembled at proximal Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers (WREs). Recent studies suggest that additional WREs that control MYC expression reside far upstream of the MYC transcription start site. Here, I report the characterization of five novel WREs that localize to a region over 400 kb upstream from MYC. These WREs harbor nucleosomes with post-translational histone modifications that demarcate enhancer and gene promoter regions. Using quantitative chromatin conformation capture, I show that the distal WREs are aligned with the MYC promoter through large chromatin loops. The chromatin loops are not restricted to colon cancer cells, but are also found in kidney epithelial and lung fibroblast cell lines that lack de-regulated Wnt signaling and nuclear ß-catenin/TCF4 complexes. While each chromatin loop is detected in quiescent cells, the positioning of three of the five distal enhancers with the MYC promoter is induced by serum mitogens. These findings suggest that the architecture of the MYC promoter is comprised of distal elements that are juxtaposed through large chromatin loops and that ß-catenin/TCF4 complexes utilize this conformation to activate MYC expression in colon cancer cells.
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spelling doaj.art-fa8bb4699d4645f9afcebaa610b8ceab2022-12-22T03:54:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-04-0164e1896610.1371/journal.pone.0018966Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.Gregory S YochumInappropriate activation of c-Myc (MYC) gene expression by the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway is required for colorectal carcinogenesis. The elevated MYC levels in colon cancer cells are attributed in part to ß-catenin/TCF4 transcription complexes that are assembled at proximal Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers (WREs). Recent studies suggest that additional WREs that control MYC expression reside far upstream of the MYC transcription start site. Here, I report the characterization of five novel WREs that localize to a region over 400 kb upstream from MYC. These WREs harbor nucleosomes with post-translational histone modifications that demarcate enhancer and gene promoter regions. Using quantitative chromatin conformation capture, I show that the distal WREs are aligned with the MYC promoter through large chromatin loops. The chromatin loops are not restricted to colon cancer cells, but are also found in kidney epithelial and lung fibroblast cell lines that lack de-regulated Wnt signaling and nuclear ß-catenin/TCF4 complexes. While each chromatin loop is detected in quiescent cells, the positioning of three of the five distal enhancers with the MYC promoter is induced by serum mitogens. These findings suggest that the architecture of the MYC promoter is comprised of distal elements that are juxtaposed through large chromatin loops and that ß-catenin/TCF4 complexes utilize this conformation to activate MYC expression in colon cancer cells.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3080403?pdf=render
spellingShingle Gregory S Yochum
Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
PLoS ONE
title Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
title_full Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
title_fullStr Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
title_full_unstemmed Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
title_short Multiple Wnt/ß-catenin responsive enhancers align with the MYC promoter through long-range chromatin loops.
title_sort multiple wnt ss catenin responsive enhancers align with the myc promoter through long range chromatin loops
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3080403?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT gregorysyochum multiplewntßcateninresponsiveenhancersalignwiththemycpromoterthroughlongrangechromatinloops