Snord116-dependent diurnal rhythm of DNA methylation in mouse cortex

Nat Commun. 2018 Apr 24;9(1):1616. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03676-0.

Abstract

Rhythmic oscillations of physiological processes depend on integrating the circadian clock and diurnal environment. DNA methylation is epigenetically responsive to daily rhythms, as a subset of CpG dinucleotides in brain exhibit diurnal rhythmic methylation. Here, we show a major genetic effect on rhythmic methylation in a mouse Snord116 deletion model of the imprinted disorder Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). More than 23,000 diurnally rhythmic CpGs are identified in wild-type cortex, with nearly all lost or phase-shifted in PWS. Circadian dysregulation of a second imprinted Snord cluster at the Temple/Kagami-Ogata syndrome locus is observed at the level of methylation, transcription, and chromatin, providing mechanistic evidence of cross-talk. Genes identified by diurnal epigenetic changes in PWS mice overlapped rhythmic and PWS-specific genes in human brain and are enriched for PWS-relevant phenotypes and pathways. These results support the proposed evolutionary relationship between imprinting and sleep, and suggest possible chronotherapy in the treatment of PWS and related disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism*
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Circadian Rhythm*
  • DNA Methylation
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Prader-Willi Syndrome / genetics*
  • Prader-Willi Syndrome / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Nucleolar / genetics*
  • RNA, Small Nucleolar / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • RNA, Small Nucleolar
  • SNORD116 RNA, human
  • SNORD116 RNA, mouse