PMID:18334558

Citation	Kumar, A, Kamboj, S, Malone, BM, Kudo, S, Twiss, JL, Czymmek, KJ, LaSalle, JM and Schanen, NC (2008) Analysis of protein domains and Rett syndrome mutations indicate that multiple regions influence chromatin-binding dynamics of the chromatin-associated protein MECP2 in vivo. J. Cell. Sci. 121:1128-37
Abstract	The methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) serves both organizational and transcriptional functions in the nucleus, with two well-characterized domains integrally related to these functions. The recognition of methylated CpG dinucleotides is accomplished by the methyl-binding domain (MBD), and the transcriptional repression domain (TRD) facilitates protein-protein interactions with chromatin remodeling proteins. For each known function of MECP2, chromatin binding is a crucial activity. Here, we apply photobleaching strategies within the nucleus using domain-deleted MECP2 proteins as well as naturally occurring point mutations identified in individuals with the neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome (RTT). These studies reveal that MECP2 is transiently associated with chromatin in vivo and confirm a central role for the MBD in directing the protein to heterochromatin. In addition, we report for the first time that the small region between the MBD and the TRD, known as the interdomain region (ID), stabilizes chromatin binding by MECP2 independently of the MBD. The TRD of MECP2 also contributes towards chromatin binding, whereas the N- and C-termini do not. Some common RTT missense and nonsense mutations significantly affect binding kinetics, suggesting that alterations in chromatin binding can result in protein dysfunction and hence a disease phenotype.
Links	PubMed PMC2637154 Online version:10.1242/jcs.016865
Keywords	3T3 Cells; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Azacitidine/analogs & derivatives; Azacitidine/pharmacology; Blotting, Western; Cell Nucleus/metabolism; Chromatin/metabolism; DNA Methylation/drug effects; Epigenesis, Genetic; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Kinetics; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2/genetics; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2/metabolism; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Protein Binding/drug effects; Protein Isoforms/genetics; Protein Isoforms/metabolism; Protein Transport/drug effects; Rett Syndrome/genetics; Rett Syndrome/metabolism
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Annotations

Gene product	Qualifier	GO Term	Evidence Code	with/from	Aspect	Extension	Notes	Status
MOUSE:MECP2	part_of	GO:0005634: nucleus	ECO:0000314: direct assay evidence used in manual assertion		C		Seeded From UniProt	complete
MOUSE:MECP2	colocalizes_with	GO:0000792: heterochromatin	ECO:0000314: direct assay evidence used in manual assertion		C		Seeded From UniProt	complete
MOUSE:MECP2	enables	GO:0003682: chromatin binding	ECO:0000314: direct assay evidence used in manual assertion		F		Seeded From UniProt	complete

References

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