Hdac3, Setdb1, and Kap1 mark H3K9me3/H3K14ac bivalent regions in young and aged liver

Summary

Post-translational modifications of histone tails play a crucial role in gene regulation. Here, we performed chromatin profiling by quantitative targeted mass spectrometry to assess all possible modifications of the core histones. We discovered a novel bivalent combination, a dually-marked H3K9me3/H3K14ac modification in the liver, that is significantly decreased in old hepatocytes. Subsequent genome-wide location analysis (ChIP-Seq) identified 1032 and 668 bivalent regions in young and old livers, respectively, with 280 in common. Histone H3K9 deacetylase Hdac3, as well as H3K9 methyltransferase Setdb1, found in complex Kap1, occupied bivalent regions in both young and old livers, correlating to presence of H3K9me3. Expression of genes associated with bivalent regions in young liver, including those regulating cholesterol secretion and triglyceride synthesis, is upregulated in old liver once the bivalency is lost. Hence, H3K9me3/H3K14ac dually-marked regions define a poised inactive state that is resolved with loss of one or both of the chromatin marks, which subsequently leads to change in gene expression.