Genomic imprinting is regulated by parental-specific DNA methylation of imprinting control regions (ICRs). Despite an identical DNA sequence, ICRs can exist in two distinct epigenetic states that are memorized throughout unlimited cell divisions and reset during germline formation. Here, we systematically study the genetic and epigenetic determinants of this epigenetic bistability. By iterative integration of ICRs and related DNA sequences to an ectopic location in the mouse genome, we first identify the DNA sequence features required for maintenance of epigenetic states in embryonic stem cells. The autonomous regulatory properties of ICRs further enabled us to create DNA-methylation-sensitive reporters and to screen for key components involved in regulating their epigenetic memory. Besides DNMT1, UHRF1 and ZFP57, we identify factors that prevent switching from methylated to unmethylated states and show that two of these candidates, ATF7IP and ZMYM2, are important for the stability of DNA and H3K9 methylation at ICRs in embryonic stem cells.

Recombination-based DNA construction methods, such as Gibson assembly, have made it possible to easily and simultaneously assemble multiple DNA parts, and they hold promise for the development and optimization of metabolic pathways and functional genetic circuits. Over time, however, these pathways and circuits have become more complex, and the increasing need for standardization and insulation of genetic parts has resulted in sequence redundancies--for example, repeated terminator and insulator sequences--that complicate recombination-based assembly. We and others have recently developed DNA assembly methods, which we refer to collectively as unique nucleotide sequence (UNS)-guided assembly, in which individual DNA parts are flanked with UNSs to facilitate the ordered, recombination-based assembly of repetitive sequences. Here we present a detailed protocol for UNS-guided assembly that enables researchers to convert multiple DNA parts into sequenced, correctly assembled constructs, or into high-quality combinatorial libraries in only 2-3 d. If the DNA parts must be generated from scratch, an additional 2-5 d are necessary. This protocol requires no specialized equipment and can easily be implemented by a student with experience in basic cloning techniques.

Recent progress in DNA manipulation and gene circuit engineering has greatly improved our ability to programme and probe mammalian cell behaviour. These advances have led to a new generation of synthetic biology research tools and potential therapeutic applications. Programmable DNA-binding domains and RNA regulators are leading to unprecedented control of gene expression and elucidation of gene function. Rebuilding complex biological circuits such as T cell receptor signalling in isolation from their natural context has deepened our understanding of network motifs and signalling pathways. Synthetic biology is also leading to innovative therapeutic interventions based on cell-based therapies, protein drugs, vaccines and gene therapies.

Conditional protein splicing is a powerful biotechnological tool that can be used to rapidly and post-translationally control the activity of a given protein. Here we demonstrate a novel conditional splicing system in which a genetically encoded protein scaffold induces the splicing and activation of an enzyme in mammalian cells. In this system the protein scaffold binds to two inactive split intein/enzyme extein protein fragments leading to intein fragment complementation, splicing, and activation of the firefly luciferase enzyme. We first demonstrate the ability of antiparallel coiled-coils (CCs) to mediate splicing between two intein fragments, effectively creating two new split inteins. We then generate and test two versions of the scaffold-induced splicing system using two pairs of CCs. Finally, we optimize the linker lengths of the proteins in the system and demonstrate 13-fold activation of luciferase by the scaffold compared to the activity of negative controls. Our protein scaffold-triggered conditional splicing system is an effective strategy to control enzyme activity using a protein input, enabling enhanced genetic control over protein splicing and the potential creation of splicing-based protein sensors and autoregulatory systems.

In vitro recombination methods have enabled one-step construction of large DNA sequences from multiple parts. Although synthetic biological circuits can in principle be assembled in the same fashion, they typically contain repeated sequence elements such as standard promoters and terminators that interfere with homologous recombination. Here we use a computational approach to design synthetic, biologically inactive unique nucleotide sequences (UNSes) that facilitate accurate ordered assembly. Importantly, our designed UNSes make it possible to assemble parts with repeated terminator and insulator sequences, and thereby create insulated functional genetic circuits in bacteria and mammalian cells. Using UNS-guided assembly to construct repeating promoter-gene-terminator parts, we systematically varied gene expression to optimize production of a deoxychromoviridans biosynthetic pathway in Escherichia coli. We then used this system to construct complex eukaryotic AND-logic gates for genomic integration into embryonic stem cells. Construction was performed by using a standardized series of UNS-bearing BioBrick-compatible vectors, which enable modular assembly and facilitate reuse of individual parts. UNS-guided isothermal assembly is broadly applicable to the construction and optimization of genetic circuits and particularly those requiring tight insulation, such as complex biosynthetic pathways, sensors, counters and logic gates.

Biological computing circuits can enhance our ability to control cellular functions and have potential applications in tissue engineering and medical treatments. Transcriptional activator-like effectors (TALEs) represent attractive components of synthetic gene regulatory circuits, as they can be designed de novo to target a given DNA sequence. We here demonstrate that TALEs can perform Boolean logic computation in mammalian cells. Using a split-intein protein-splicing strategy, we show that a functional TALE can be reconstituted from two inactive parts, thus generating two-input AND logic computation. We further demonstrate three-piece intein splicing in mammalian cells and use it to perform three-input AND computation. Using methods for random as well as targeted insertion of these relatively large genetic circuits, we show that TALE-based logic circuits are functional when integrated into the genome of mouse embryonic stem cells. Comparing construct variants in the same genomic context, we modulated the strength of the TALE-responsive promoter to improve the output of these circuits. Our work establishes split TALEs as a tool for building logic computation with the potential of controlling expression of endogenous genes or transgenes in response to a combination of cellular signals.

To gain insight into the cellular readout of DNA methylation, we established a strategy for systematically profiling the genome-wide distribution of chromatin-interacting factors. This enabled us to create genomic maps for the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) family of proteins, including disease-relevant mutants, deletions, and isoforms. In vivo binding of MBD proteins occurs predominantly as a linear function of local methylation density, requiring functional MBD domains and methyl-CPGs. This interaction directs specificity of MBD proteins to methylated, CpG-dense, and inactive regulatory regions. In contrast, binding to unmethylated sites varies between MBD proteins and is mediated via alternative domains or protein-protein interactions. Such targeting is exemplified by NuRD-complex-mediated tethering of MBD2 to a subset of unmethylated, active regulatory regions. Interestingly, MBD3 also occupies these sites, but like MBD2, binding is independent of the presence of hydroxymethylation. These functional binding maps reveal methylation-dependent and -independent binding modes and revise current models of DNA methylation readout through MBD proteins.

Nature 480, 490–495 (2011) In the original version of this Article Erik van Nimwegen (Biozentrum of the University of Basel and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Klingelbergstrasse 50-70, CH 4056 Basel, Switzerland) was inadvertently omitted from the author list. In the ‘Author contribution’ section the sentence beginning “Bioinformatic and statistical analyses.

Cellular differentiation entails reprogramming of the transcriptome from a pluripotent to a unipotent fate. This process was suggested to coincide with a global increase of repressive heterochromatin, which results in a reduction of transcriptional plasticity and potential. Here we report the dynamics of the transcriptome and an abundant heterochromatic histone modification, dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2), during neuronal differentiation of embryonic stem cells. In contrast to the prevailing model, we find H3K9me2 to occupy over 50% of chromosomal regions already in stem cells. Marked are most genomic regions that are devoid of transcription and a subgroup of histone modifications. Importantly, no global increase occurs during differentiation, but discrete local changes of H3K9me2 particularly at genic regions can be detected. Mirroring the cell fate change, many genes show altered expression upon differentiation. Quantitative sequencing of transcripts demonstrates however that the total number of active genes is equal between stem cells and several tested differentiated cell types. Together, these findings reveal high prevalence of a heterochromatic mark in stem cells and challenge the model of low abundance of epigenetic repression and resulting global basal level transcription in stem cells. This suggests that cellular differentiation entails local rather than global changes in epigenetic repression and transcriptional activity.

Cytosine methylation is a repressive, epigenetically propagated DNA modification. Although patterns of DNA methylation seem tightly regulated in mammals, it is unclear how these are specified and to what extent this process entails genetic or epigenetic regulation. To dissect the role of the underlying DNA sequence, we sequentially inserted over 50 different DNA elements into the same genomic locus in mouse stem cells. Promoter sequences of approximately 1,000 bp autonomously recapitulated correct DNA methylation in pluripotent cells. Moreover, they supported proper de novo methylation during differentiation. Truncation analysis revealed that this regulatory potential is contained within small methylation-determining regions (MDRs). MDRs can mediate both hypomethylation and de novo methylation in cis, and their activity depends on developmental state, motifs for DNA-binding factors and a critical CpG density. These results demonstrate that proximal sequence elements are both necessary and sufficient for regulating DNA methylation and reveal basic constraints of this regulation.

Histone modifications are thought to regulate gene expression in part by modulating DNA accessibility. Here, we measured genome-wide DNA accessibility in Drosophila melanogaster by combining M. SssI methylation footprinting with methylated DNA immunoprecipitation. We show that methylase accessibility demarcates differential distribution of active and repressive histone modifications as well as sites of transcription and replication initiation. DNA accessibility is increased at active promoters and chromosomal regions that are hyperacetylated at H4K16, particularly at the male X chromosome, suggesting that transcriptional dosage compensation is facilitated by permissive chromatin structure. Conversely, inactive chromosomal domains decorated with H3K27me3 are least accessible, supporting a model for Polycomb-mediated chromatin compaction. In addition, we detect higher accessibility at chromosomal regions that replicate early and at sites of replication initiation. Together, these findings indicate that differential histone-modification patterns and the organization of replication have distinct and measurable effects on the exposure of the DNA template.