SAM domain polymerization links subnuclear clustering of PRC1 to silencing detected using expression data and ChIP experiments

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins mediate heritable but reversible silencing of developmental regulator genes by modifying their chromatin configuration. Accumulating evidence documents a role for PcG proteins in regulating higher order chromatin structures likely by their clustering, however, underlying mechanisms and its impact on transcriptional regulation remain obscure. In this study, we found that subnuclear clustering of PRC1 at canonical PcG target genes depended on head-to-tail polymerization property of SAM domain of Phc2 and likely Phc1. We show that Phc2-SAM polymerization limits the dynamic nature of PRC1, thereby promotes stable association of PRC1 with PcG target genes and contributes to their robust silencing. Our findings suggest a novel model by which SAM polymerization of Phc2 modulates the structural organization of PcG complexes to enable robust yet reversible PcG-mediated repression during development.

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Isono K, Endo TA, Ku M, Yamada D, Suzuki R, Sharif J, Ishikura T, Toyoda T, Bernstein BE, Koseki H