Potential role of KRAB-ZFP binding and transcriptional states on DNA methylation of retroelements in human male germ cells

• Published in: eLife Vol. 11
• Main Authors: Fukuda, Kei, Makino, Yoshinori, Kaneko, Satoru, Shimura, Chikako, Okada, Yuki, Ichiyanagi, Kenji, Shinkai, Yoichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England eLife Science Publications, Ltd 22.03.2022; eLife Sciences Publications Ltd; eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Chromosomes and Gene Expression; DNA; DNA binding proteins; DNA Methylation; Epigenetic inheritance; Epigenetics; Epigenomics; Genetic aspects; Genetic transcription; Genetics and Genomics; Genomes; Germ cells; Germ Cells - metabolism; Histones; human male germ cells; Humans; Male; Male sterility; Mammals - genetics; Methylation; Mice; Molecular modelling; retroelements; Retroelements - genetics; Sperm; Spermatogenesis; Spermatogenesis - genetics; Stem cells; Transcription; Zinc finger proteins; United Kingdom; genetics; retroelements; chromosomes; DNA methylation; genomics; human male germ cells; human; gene expression
• ISSN: 2050-084X; 2050-084X
• DOI: 10.7554/elife.76822

DNA methylation, repressive histone modifications, and PIWI-interacting RNAs are essential for controlling retroelement silencing in mammalian germ lines. Dysregulation of retroelement silencing is associated with male sterility. Although retroelement silencing mechanisms have been extensively studied in mouse germ cells, little progress has been made in humans. Here, we show that the Krüppel-associated box domain zinc finger proteins are associated with DNA methylation of retroelements in human primordial germ cells. Further, we show that the hominoid-specific retroelement SINE-VNTR- (SVA) is subjected to transcription-directed de novo DNA methylation during human spermatogenesis. The degree of de novo DNA methylation in SVAs varies among human individuals, which confers significant inter-individual epigenetic variation in sperm. Collectively, our results highlight potential molecular mechanisms for the regulation of retroelements in human male germ cells.