Time makes histone H3 modifications drift in mouse liver

To detect the epigenetic drift of time passing, we determined the genome-wide distributions of mono- and trimethylated lysine 4 and acetylated and tri-methylated lysine 27 of histone H3 in the livers of healthy 3, 6 and 12 months old C57BL/6 mice. The comparison of different age profiles of histone H3 marks revealed global redistribution of histone H3 modifications with time, in particular in intergenic regions and near transcription start sites, as well as altered correlation between the profiles of different histone modifications. Moreover, feeding mice with caloric restriction diet, a treatment known to retard aging, reduced the extent of changes occurring during the first year of life in these genomic regions.

Automated summary

By comparing the age profiles of histone H3 modifications in the livers of healthy mice, we observed a global redistribution of histone H3 modifications with time, especially in intergenic regions and near transcription start sites, as well as changes in the correlation between different histone modifications. Additionally, we found that caloric restriction diet can reduce the extent of these changes.