Dynamic Notch Transcription Hubs Revealed by Live Imaging

Core Concepts

Notch activation leads to the formation of dynamic transcription hubs that persist after Notch withdrawal, conferring a memory for rapid reactivation.

Abstract

Summary: Developmental programming involves accurate signaling conversion to transcriptional outputs. Notch pathway's transcriptional relay relies on NICD, CSL, and Mam. Transcription hubs concentrate key factors like Mediator CDK module. Only a third of Notch ON hubs progress to active transcription states. Target-gene transcription is probabilistic downstream of receptor activation. Introduction: Cells must accurately translate cell-surface signals into correct transcriptional responses. Notch pathway activation leads to gene expression via NICD-CSL-Mam complex. Rapid and robust transcriptional responses occur upon NICD release. Regulation of Transcription: Tight control of spatial, temporal, and genomic location in transcription regulation. Specific structure-mediated interactions mediate clustering within the nucleus. Formation of functionally specialized local protein microenvironments or "hubs" regulates transcription. Formation of Tripartite Activator Complex: Mam proteins interact with CSL and NICD in the Notch activator complex. Mam contains conserved helix for direct interactions with CSL and NICD. Live Imaging Insights: Endogenously tagged proteins reveal dynamic behaviors of CSL and Mam at target loci in real-time. FRAP experiments show differences in dynamics between CSL and Mam complexes. Role of Mediator CDK Module: Mediator CDK module plays a crucial role in stabilizing Mastermind recruitment at target sites. Inhibition or depletion of Med13 and CDK8 results in reduced Mastermind recruitment. Memory State After Notch Withdrawal: Persistent enrichment of CSL at target loci after Notch removal confers a memory state for rapid reactivation. Chromatin accessibility remains after withdrawal despite loss of Mastermind complexes. Probabilistic Transcription Initiation: Presence of Mastermind complexes does not guarantee reliable initiation of transcription in all nuclei. Stochastic differences lead to probabilistic outcomes in active transcription initiation. Ecdysone Cooperation with Notch: -Ecdysone exposure increases the probability of active nuclei by enhancing Pol II and Med1 recruitment at target enhancers.

Stats

NICD forms a complex with CSL (CBF1/RBPJ-k) and Mastermind (Mam). CSL has rapid recovery dynamics (t1/2=9 secs) compared to slower recovery dynamics for Mam (t1/2=40 secs). Mam recruitment levels decrease rapidly after 4 hours post Notch activity switch-off.

Quotes

"The discovery that target-gene transcription is probabilistic has far-reaching implications." "Recruitment levels decreased more rapidly for Mam than for CSL after switching off Notch activity."

Key Insights Distilled From

Dynamic modes of Notch transcription hubs conferring memory and stochastic activation revealed by live imaging the co-activator Mastermind

by deHaro- Arbo... at www.biorxiv.org 08-11-2023

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.08.10.552629v2

Deeper Inquiries

How does the persistence of CSL enrichment after Notch removal impact future gene expression?

The persistence of CSL enrichment after Notch removal has significant implications for future gene expression. Even after Notch activity is switched off, CSL remains enriched at the target enhancers. This persistent CSL recruitment creates a memory state in the chromatin, making it more receptive to rapid reactivation upon subsequent exposure to Notch signaling. The presence of this memory state allows for a quicker and more efficient reassembly of the transcription hub when Notch activity is reinstated. As a result, genes that have been previously activated by Notch can respond more rapidly and robustly to subsequent signals, leading to enhanced gene expression levels compared to naïve loci. This phenomenon highlights the importance of epigenetic memory in regulating gene expression dynamics and cellular responses to signaling cues. The ability of enhancers to retain a memory of past activation events through persistent CSL enrichment provides cells with an adaptive advantage by priming them for faster transcriptional responses upon re-exposure to specific stimuli.

How can the concept of probabilistic transcription initiation downstream of receptor activation be leveraged for therapeutic interventions?

The concept of probabilistic transcription initiation downstream of receptor activation offers insights into the complex regulatory mechanisms governing gene expression dynamics in response to signaling pathways such as Notch. Understanding that only a subset of nuclei engage in active transcription despite uniform recruitment of key factors like Mam complexes and Mediator CDK module sheds light on the stochastic nature of gene regulation. Therapeutically, this knowledge can be harnessed in several ways: Targeted Interventions: By identifying factors or pathways that influence the transition from inactive hubs (with Mam) to active hubs (with Pol II), targeted interventions can be developed to modulate this process selectively. Precision Medicine: Leveraging probabilistic transcription initiation patterns could aid in developing personalized treatment strategies based on individual variations in gene expression dynamics. Drug Development: Insights into stochastic differences in pathway output downstream from receptor activation may guide drug development efforts aimed at fine-tuning these processes for therapeutic benefits. Disease Mechanisms: Understanding how probabilistic transcription impacts disease states could lead to novel approaches for treating conditions where dysregulated gene expression plays a role. Overall, leveraging our understanding of probabilistic transcription initiation could open up new avenues for precision medicine and targeted therapies tailored towards optimizing cellular responses based on their inherent variability in gene regulation mechanisms.

How can the concept 0f memory states in enhancers be leveraged for therapeutic interventions?

The concept 0f memory states in enhancers presents intriguing possibilities for therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating cellular responses and controlling gene expression patterns effectively: 1-Epigenetic Therapies: Targeting specific epigenetic modifications associated with memory states within enhancers could offer novel approaches towards manipulating long-term changes in gene regulation without altering underlying DNA sequences. 2-Enhancer Engineering: Harnessing knowledge about enhancer memory states enables precise engineering or rewiring 0f these regulatory elements t0 enhance desired genetic outcomes or suppress unwanted expressions under certain conditions 3-Drug Discovery: Identifying small molecules or compounds capable 0f inducing or disrupting memorystates withinenhancers c0uld pave way f0r innovative drug discovery targeting specific diseases characterized by aberrantgeneexpressionpatterns 4-Regenerative Medicine: Exploitingmemorystatesinenhancercouldfacilitatecellularreprogramminganddirectedin-differentiationstrategiesbyprimingcellsforrapidandreliabletranscriptionalresponsesduringtherapeuticinterventions By capitalizing ontheconceptofmemorystatesinenhancerstherapeuticapproachescanbeoptimizedtofine-tune generegulationdynamicsandimproveclinicaloutcomesacrossavarietyofdiseasestates