Global changes of H3K27me3 domains and Polycomb group protein distribution in the absence of recruiters Spps or Pho

Abstract

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins maintain the silenced state of key developmental genes in animals, but how these proteins are recruited to specific regions of the genome is still poorly understood. In Drosophila, PcG proteins are recruited to Polycomb response elements (PREs) that include combinations of sites for sequence specific DNA binding “PcG recruiters,” including Pho, Cg, and Spps. To understand their roles in PcG recruitment, we compared Pho-, Cg-, and Spps-binding sites against H3K27me3 and key PcG proteins by ChIP-seq in wild-type and mutant third instar larvae. H3K27me3 in canonical Polycomb domains is decreased after the reduction of any recruiter. Reduction of Spps and Pho, but not Cg, causes the redistribution of H3K27me3 to heterochromatin. Regions with dramatically depleted H3K27me3 after Spps knockout are usually accompanied by decreased Pho binding, suggesting their cooperative binding. PcG recruiters, the PRC2 component E(z), and the PRC1 components Psc and Ph cobind thousands of active genes outside of H3K27me3 domains. This study demonstrates the importance of distinct PcG recruiters for the establishment of unique Polycomb domains. Different PcG recruiters can act both cooperatively and independently at specific PcG target genes, highlighting the complexity and diversity of PcG recruitment mechanisms.