Metabolic Fuel for Epigenetic: Nuclear Production Meets Local Consumption

Epigenetic modifications are responsible for finetuning gene expression profiles to the needs of cells, tissues, and organisms. To rapidly respond to environmental changes, the activity of chromatin modifiers critically depends on the concentration of a handful of metabolites that act as substrates and co-factors. In this way, these enzymes act as metabolic sensors that directly link gene expression to metabolic states. Although metabolites can easily diffuse through the nuclear pore, molecular mechanisms must be in place to regulate epigenetic marker deposition in specific nuclear subdomains or even on single loci. In this review, I explore the possible subcellular sites of metabolite production that influence the epigenome. From the relationship between cytoplasmic metabolism and nuclear metabolite deposition, I converse to the description of a compartmentalized nuclear metabolism. Last, I elaborate on the possibility of metabolic enzymes to operate in phase-separated nuclear microdomains formed by multienzyme and chromatin-bound protein complexes.

Automated summary

Epigenetic modifications fine-tune gene expression profiles to meet the needs of cells, tissues, and organisms. The activity of chromatin modifiers depends on the concentration of metabolites, which act as substrates and co-factors, linking gene expression to metabolic states. Specific molecular mechanisms regulate epigenetic marker deposition in the nucleus, potentially influenced by subcellular metabolite production sites. Additionally, metabolic enzymes may operate in phase-separated nuclear microdomains within multienzyme and chromatin-bound protein complexes.