Genomewide decoupling of H2AK119ub1 and H3K27me3 in early mouse development

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are crucial chromatin regulators during development. H2AK119ub1 (H2Aub) and H3K27me3 are catalyzed by Polycomb-repressive complex 1 and 2 (PRC1/2) respectively, and they largely overlap in the genome due to mutual recruitment of the two complexes. However, it is unclear whether PRC1/H2Aub and PRC2/H3K27me3 can also function independently. By developing an ultra-sensitive carrier-DNA-assisted chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing method termed CATCH-Seq, we generated allelic H2Aub profiles in mouse gametes and early embryos. Our results revealed an unexpected genomewide decoupling of H2Aub and H3K27me3 in mouse preimplantation embryos, where H2Aub but not H3K27me3 was enriched at PcG targets while only H3K27me3 was deposited in the broad distal domains associated with DNA methylation-independent non-canonical imprinting. These observations suggest that H2Aub represses future bivalent genes during early embryogenesis without H3K27me3, but it is not required for the maintenance of non-canonical imprinting, which is mediated by maternal H3K27me3. Thus, our study reveals the distinct depositions and independent functions of H2Aub and H3K27me3 during early mammalian development. (c) 2021 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science China Press. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study reveals a genome-wide decoupling of H2Aub and H3K27me3 in mouse preimplantation embryos, with H2Aub enriched at PcG targets and H3K27me3 deposited in DNA methylation-independent non-canonical imprinting regions. H2Aub represses future bivalent genes during early embryogenesis, while H3K27me3 is crucial for maintaining non-canonical imprinting.