A Region of Human HoxD that Confers Polycomb-Group Responsiveness

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are essential for accurate axial body patterning during embryonic development. PcG-mediated repression is conserved in metazoans and is targeted in Drosophila by Polycomb response elements (PREs). Targeting sequences in humans have not been described. While analyzing chromatin architecture in the context of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) differentiation, we discovered a 1.8kb region between HOXD11 and HOXD12 (D11.12) that is associated with PcG proteins, is nuclease hypersensitive, and shows alteration as hESCs differentiate. D11.12 repressed luciferase expression from a reporter construct both before and after differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes. Full repression by D11.12 required a highly conserved region and YY1 binding sites. Repression relied upon PcG proteins Bmi1 and Eed and a YY1-interacting partner, RYBP. We conclude that D11.12 is a Polycomb-dependent regulatory region with similarities to Drosophila PREs, indicating conservation in the mechanisms that target PcG function in mammals and flies.