ASXL1 is frequently mutated in a spectrum of myeloid malignancies with poor prognosis. Loss of Asxl1 leads to myelodysplastic syndrome-like disease in mice, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that ASXL1 interacts with the cohesin complex, which has been shown to guide sister chromotid segregation and to regulate gene expression. Loss of Asxl1 impairs the cohesin function as reflected by an impaired telophase chromatid disjunction in hematopoietic cells. ChIP-seq data revealed that ASXL1, RAD21 and SMC1A share 93% of genomic binding sites at promoter regions in lineage-cKit+ (LK) cells. We have showed that loss of Asxl1 reduced the genome binding of RAD21 and SMC1A, and altered the expression of ASXL1/cohesin target genes in LK cells. Our study underscores the ASXL1-cohesin interaction as a novel means to maintain normal sister chromatid separation and to regulate gene expression in hematopoietic cells. SOURCE: Peng Zhang (pxz36@miami.edu) - Feng-Chun Yang University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE83961: ASXL1 Interacts with the Cohesin Complex to Maintain Chromatid Separation and Gene Expression for Normal Hematopoiesis [RNA-Seq]