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Updated: Jun 7, 2025
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Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers
Published on: September 20, 2018
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Histone variant H2BE controls activity-dependent gene expression and homeostatic scaling
Emily R Feierman1,2,3, Alekh Paranjapye2,3, Steven Su2,3
1Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|November 18, 2024
Summary
The histone variant H2BE is crucial for neuronal function and memory. Its expression decreases with neuronal activity, and it is essential for long-term activity-dependent gene expression and plasticity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Cellular responses to stimuli involve transcriptional programs regulated by histone proteins.
- Histone variants, like H2B histone variant H2BE, play specific roles in gene regulation.
- H2BE was previously identified as promoting transcription and being vital for neuronal function and memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how extracellular stimuli regulate H2BE expression.
- To determine if H2BE controls activity-dependent transcription and cellular plasticity in neurons.
- To understand the role of H2BE in homeostatic plasticity.
Main Methods:
- CUT&Tag and RNA-sequencing of primary neurons.
- Single-nucleus sequencing of cortical tissue.
- Multielectrode array recordings to assess neuronal activity and plasticity.
Main Results:
- H2BE expression is inversely correlated with neuronal activity.
- Neurons lacking H2BE exhibit impaired long-term activity-dependent transcriptional responses.
- H2BE knockout neurons fail to undergo homeostatic plasticity after prolonged stimulation.
Conclusions:
- H2BE is a key histone variant involved in neuronal plasticity.
- H2BE is necessary for long-term activity-dependent gene expression and homeostatic plasticity in neurons.
- This study reveals the first histone variant implicated in the homeostatic plasticity response in neurons.
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