Comprehensive size-determination of whole virus vaccine particles using gas-phase electrophoretic mobility macromolecular analyzer, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

Biophysical properties including particle size distribution, integrity, and shape of whole virus vaccine particles at different stages in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccines formulation were analyzed by a new set of methods. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used as a conservative sample preparation for vaccine particle fractionation and gas-phase electrophoretic mobility macromolecular analyzer (GEMMA) for analyzing electrophoretic mobility diameters of isolated TBE virions. The derived particle diameter was then correlated with molecular weight. The diameter of the TBE virions determined after SEC by GEMMA instrumentation was 46.8 ± 1.1 nm. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were implemented for comparison purposes and to gain morphological information on the virion particle. Western blotting (Dot Blot) as an immunological method confirmed biological activity of the particles at various stages of the developed analytical strategy. AFM and TEM measurements revealed higher diameters with much higher SD for a limited number of virions, 60.4 ± 8.5 and 53.5 ± 5.3 nm, respectively. GEMMA instrumentation was also used for fractionation of virions with specifically selected diameters in the gas-phase, which were finally collected by means of an electrostatic sampler. At that point (i.e., after particle collection), AFM and TEM showed that the sampled virions were still intact, exhibiting a narrow size distribution (i.e., 59.8 ± 7.8 nm for AFM and 47.5 ± 5.2 nm for TEM images), and most importantly, dot blotting confirmed immunological activity of the collected samples. Furthermore dimers and virion artifacts were detected, too.

Development of a bio-analytical strategy for characterization of vaccine particles combining SEC and nanoES GEMMA.

Commonly used methods for size and shape analysis of bionanoparticles found in vaccines like X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy are very time-consuming and cost-intensive. The nano-electrospray (nanoES) gas-phase electrophoretic mobility macromolecular analyzer (GEMMA), belonging to the group of ion mobility spectrometers, was used for size determination of vaccine virus particles because it requires less analysis time and investment (no vacuum system). Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of viral vaccines and production intermediates turned out to be a good purification/isolation method prior to GEMMA, TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscopy) investigations, as well as providing a GEMMA analysis-compatible buffer. Column materials and different elution buffers were tested for optimal vaccine particle yield. We used a Superdex 200 column with a 50 mM ammonium acetate buffer. In addition, SEC allowed the removal of process-related impurities from the virions of interest. A sample concentrating step or a detergent addition step was also investigated. As a final step of our strategy SEC-purified or untreated vaccine-nanoparticles were further analyzed: (a) by immunological detection with a specific polyclonal antibody (dot blot) to verify the biological functionality, (b) by GEMMA to provide the size of the particles at atmospheric pressure and (c) by AFM and (d) TEM to obtain both size and shape information. The mean diameter of inactivated tick-borne encephalitis virions (i.e. vaccine particles) determined by GEMMA measurement was 46.6 ± 0.5 nm, in contrast to AFM and TEM images providing diameters of about 58 ± 4 and 52 ± 5 nm, respectively.

Repression of p53 activity by Smyd2-mediated methylation.

Specific sites of lysine methylation on histones correlate with either activation or repression of transcription. The tumour suppressor p53 (refs 4-7) is one of only a few non-histone proteins known to be regulated by lysine methylation. Here we report a lysine methyltransferase, Smyd2, that methylates a previously unidentified site, Lys 370, in p53. This methylation site, in contrast to the known site Lys 372, is repressing to p53-mediated transcriptional regulation. Smyd2 helps to maintain low concentrations of promoter-associated p53. We show that reducing Smyd2 concentrations by short interfering RNA enhances p53-mediated apoptosis. We find that Set9-mediated methylation of Lys 372 inhibits Smyd2-mediated methylation of Lys 370, providing regulatory cross-talk between post-translational modifications. In addition, we show that the inhibitory effect of Lys 372 methylation on Lys 370 methylation is caused, in part, by blocking the interaction between p53 and Smyd2. Thus, similar to histones, p53 is subject to both activating and repressing lysine methylation. Our results also predict that Smyd2 may function as a putative oncogene by methylating p53 and repressing its tumour suppressive function.

Suv39h-mediated histone H3 lysine 9 methylation directs DNA methylation to major satellite repeats at pericentric heterochromatin.

BACKGROUND: Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3-K9) methylation and DNA methylation are characteristic hallmarks of mammalian heterochromatin. H3-K9 methylation was recently shown to be a prerequisite for DNA methylation in Neurospora crassa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Currently, it is unknown whether a similar dependence exists in mammalian organisms. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate a physical and functional link between the Suv39h-HP1 histone methylation system and DNA methyltransferase 3b (Dnmt3b) in mammals. Whereas in wild-type cells Dnmt3b interacts with HP1 alpha and is concentrated at heterochromatic foci, it fails to localize to these regions in Suv39h double null (dn) mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Consistently, the Suv39h dn ES cells display an altered DNA methylation profile at pericentric satellite repeats, but not at other repeat sequences. In contrast, H3-K9 trimethylation at pericentric heterochromatin is not impaired in Dnmt1 single- or Dnmt3a/Dnmt3b double-deficient ES cells. We also show that pericentric heterochromatin is not transcriptionally inert and can give rise to transcripts spanning the major satellite repeats. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate an evolutionarily conserved pathway between histone H3-K9 methylation and DNA methylation in mammals. While the Suv39h HMTases are required to direct H3-K9 trimethylation and Dnmt3b-dependent DNA methylation at pericentric repeats, DNA methylation at centromeric repeats occurs independent of Suv39h function. Thus, our data also indicate a more complex interrelatedness between histone and DNA methylation systems in mammals. Both methylation systems are likely to be important in reinforcing the stability of heterochromatic subdomains and thereby in protecting genome integrity.

Quantitative comparison of the cross-protection induced by tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccines based on European and Far Eastern virus subtypes.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a flavivirus of wide geographic distribution and the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), an infection of the central nervous system. TBE has the highest incidence rate in Russia, where locally produced as well as Western European vaccines for the prevention of TBE are available. The Western European vaccines are based on TBE viruses that belong to the European subtype, while the Russian vaccines are based on Far Eastern subtype viruses. The question of to which extent vaccination with a vaccine based on the European subtype is effective in protecting against the heterologous Far Eastern virus subtype - and vice versa - has not been answered conclusively. Here we immunized mice with TBE vaccines based on European and Far Eastern subtype viruses, and used an unbiased hybrid virus test system to determine cross-neutralizing antibody titers and cross-protective efficacy. All vaccines tested elicited cross-protective responses against the heterologous strains, similar to those induced against the respective homologous vaccine strains. These data, therefore, fully support the use of TBE vaccines in geographic regions where virus subtypes heterologous to the vaccine strains are prevalent.

Jmjd2b antagonizes H3K9 trimethylation at pericentric heterochromatin in mammalian cells.

Histone lysine trimethyl states represent some of the most robust epigenetic modifications in eukaryotic chromatin. Using a candidate approach, we identified the subgroup of murine Jmjd2 proteins to antagonize H3K9me3 at pericentric heterochromatin. H3K27me3 and H4K20me3 marks are not impaired in inducible Jmjd2b-GFP cell lines, but Jmjd2b also reduces H3K36 methylation. Since recombinant Jmjd2b appears as a very poor enzyme, we applied metabolic labeling with heavy methyl groups to demonstrate Jmjd2b-mediated removal of chromosomal H3K9me3 as an active process that occurs well before replication of chromatin. These data reveal that certain members of the jmjC class of hydroxylases can work in a pathway that actively antagonizes a histone lysine trimethyl state.

Consequences of the depletion of zygotic and embryonic enhancer of zeste 2 during preimplantation mouse development.

Enhancer of zeste 2 (Ezh2), a SET domain-containing protein, is crucial for development in many model organisms, including early mouse development. In mice, Ezh2 is detected as a maternally inherited protein in the oocyte but its function at the onset of development is unknown. We have used a conditional allele of Ezh2 to deplete the oocyte of this maternal inheritance. We show that the loss of maternal Ezh2 has a long-term effect causing severe growth retardation of neonates despite 'rescue' through embryonic transcription from the paternal allele. This phenotypic effect on growth could be attributed to the asymmetric localisation of the Ezh2/Eed complex and the associated histone methylation pattern to the maternal genome, which is disrupted in Ezh2 mutant zygotes. During subsequent development, we detect distinct histone methylation patterns in the trophectoderm and the pluripotent epiblast. In the latter where Oct4 expression continues from the zygote onwards, the Ezh2/Eed complex apparently establishes a unique epigenetic state and plasticity, which probably explains why loss of Ezh2 is early embryonic lethal and obligatory for the derivation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells. By contrast, in the differentiating trophectoderm cells where Oct4 expression is progressively downregulated Ezh2/Eed complex is recruited transiently to one X chromosome in female embryos at the onset of X-inactivation. This accumulation and the associated histone methylation are also lost in Ezh2 mutants, suggesting a role in X inactivation. Thus, Ezh2 has significant and diverse roles during early development, as well as during the establishment of the first differentiated cells, the trophectoderm, and of the pluripotent epiblast cells.

Partitioning and plasticity of repressive histone methylation states in mammalian chromatin.

Methylation of position-specific lysine residues in histone N termini is a central modification for regulating epigenetic transitions in chromatin. Each methylatable lysine residue can exist in a mono-, di-, or trimethylated state, thereby extending the indexing potential of this particular modification. Here, we examine all possible methylation states for histone H3 lysine 9 (H3-K9) and lysine 27 (H3-K27) in mammalian chromatin. Using highly specific antibodies together with quantitative mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that pericentric heterochromatin is selectively enriched for H3-K27 monomethylation and H3-K9 trimethylation. This heterochromatic methylation profile is dependent on the Suv39h histone methyltransferases (HMTases) but independent of the euchromatic G9a HMTase. In Suv39h double null cells, pericentric heterochromatin is converted to alternative methylation imprints and accumulates H3-K27 trimethylation and H3-K9 monomethylation. Our data underscore the selective presence of distinct histone lysine methylation states in partitioning chromosomal subdomains but also reveal a surprising plasticity in propagating methylation patterns in eukaryotic chromatin.