NAD ⁺-SIRT1 control of H3K4 trimethylation through circadian deacetylation of MLL1

Abstract

The circadian clock controls the transcription of hundred genes through specific chromatin remodeling events. The histone methyltransferase Mixed-Lineage Leukemia 1 (MLL1) coordinates recruitment of CLOCK–BMAL1 activator complexes to chromatin, an event associated to cyclic H3K4 tri-methylation at circadian promoters. Remarkably, in mouse liver circadian H3K4me3 is modulated by SIRT1, a NAD ⁺ dependent deacetylase involved in clock control. We show that mammalian MLL1 is acetylated at two conserved residues, K1130 and K1133. Notably, MLL1 acetylation is cyclic, controlled by the clock and by SIRT1, and impacts the methyltransferase activity of MLL1. Moreover, H3K4 methylation at clock-controlled gene promoters is influenced by pharmacological or genetic inactivation of SIRT1. Finally, MLL1 acetylation and H3K4me3 levels at circadian gene promoters depend on NAD ⁺ circadian levels. These findings reveal a previously unappreciated regulatory pathway between energy metabolism and histone methylation.