Pathway: SIRT1 negatively regulates rRNA expression

Reactions in pathway: SIRT1 negatively regulates rRNA expression :

SIRT1 negatively regulates rRNA expression

Expression of rRNA genes is coupled to the overall metabolism of the cell by the NAD-dependent histone deacetylase SIRT1, a component of the Energy-dependent Nucleolar Silencing Complex (eNoSC) (Murayama et al. 2008, reviewed in Salminen and Kaarniranta 2009, Grummt and Voit 2010). eNoSC comprises Nucleomethylin (NML), SIRT1, and the histone methylase SUV39H1 (Murayama et al. 2008). Deacetylation and methylation of histone H3 in the chromatin of a rRNA gene by eNoSC causes reduced expression of the gene. When glucose is low, NAD is high (NADH is low), activity of SIRT1 is high, and activity of rRNA genes is reduced. It is hypothesized that eNoSC forms on a nucleosome containing dimethylated lysine-9 on histone H3 (H3K9me2) and then eNoSC deacetylates and dimethylates the adjacent nucleosome, thus catalyzing spreading of H3K9me2 throughout the gene.

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression

Epigenetic processes regulate gene expression by modulating the frequency, rate, or extent of gene expression in a mitotically or meiotically heritable way that does not entail a change in the DNA sequence. Originally the definition applied only to heritability across generations but later also encompassed the heritable changes that occur during cellular differentiation within one organism.
Molecular analysis shows epigenetic changes comprise covalent modifications, such as methylation and acetylation, to DNA and histones. RNA interference has been implicated in the initiation of some epigenetic changes, for example transcriptional silencing of transposons. Proteins which bind to the modified DNA and histones are then responsible for repressing transcription and for maintaining the epigenetic modifications during cell division.
During differentiation, patterns of gene expression are established by polycomb complexes PRC1 and PRC2. PRC2 methylates histones and DNA to produce the initial marks of repression: trimethylated lysine-27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3) and 5-methylcytosine in DNA. PRC2, through its component EZH2 or, in some complexes, EZH1 trimethylates lysine-27 of histone H3. The H3K27me3 produced by PRC2 is bound by the Polycomb subunit of PRC1. PRC1 ubiquitinates histone H2A and maintains repression.
PRC2 and other epigenetic systems modulate gene expression through DNA methyation, the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to the 5 position of cytosine in DNA by a family of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs): DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B.
In the reverse process TET1,2,3 and TDG demethylate DNA through the oxidation of the methyl group of 5-methylcytosine by TET enzymes and the excision of the oxidized product (5-formylcytosine or 5-carboxylcytosine) by TDG.
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are activated and deactivated according to the metabolic requirements of the cell. Positive epigenetic regulation of rRNA expression occurs through chromatin modifications produced by activators such as ERCC6 (CSB), the B-WICH complex, and histone acetylases such as KAT2B (PCAF). Negative epigenetic regulation of rRNA expression occurs through chromatin modifications produced by repressors such as the eNoSC complex, SIRT1, and the NoRC complex.

WDR5 is a component of six histone methyltransferases and three histone acetyltransferases involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression (reviewed in Guarnaccia and Tansey 2018).

Gene expression (Transcription)

Gene expression encompasses transcription and translation and the regulation of these processes. RNA Polymerase I Transcription produces the large preribosomal RNA transcript (45S pre-rRNA) that is processed to yield 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and 5.8S rRNA, accounting for about half the RNA in a cell. RNA Polymerase II transcription produces messenger RNAs (mRNA) as well as a subset of non-coding RNAs including many small nucleolar RNAs (snRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA). RNA Polymerase III Transcription produces transfer RNAs (tRNA), 5S RNA, 7SL RNA, and U6 snRNA. Transcription from mitochondrial promoters is performed by the mitochondrial RNA polymerase, POLRMT, to yield long transcripts from each DNA strand that are processed to yield 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, tRNAs, and a few RNAs encoding components of the electron transport chain. Regulation of gene expression can be divided into epigenetic regulation, transcriptional regulation, and post-transcription regulation (comprising translational efficiency and RNA stability). Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is the result of heritable chemical modifications to DNA and DNA-binding proteins such as histones. Epigenetic changes result in altered chromatin complexes that influence transcription. Gene Silencing by RNA mostly occurs post-transcriptionally but can also affect transcription. Small RNAs originating from the genome (miRNAs) or from exogenous RNA (siRNAs) are processed and transferred to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which interacts with complementary RNA to cause cleavage, translational inhibition, or transcriptional inhibition.