The genomic binding sites of a noncoding RNA

MD Simon, CI Wang, PV Kharchenko… - Proceedings of the …, 2011 - National Acad Sciences
MD Simon, CI Wang, PV Kharchenko, JA West, BA Chapman, AA Alekseyenko…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011National Acad Sciences
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important regulatory roles and can function at the
level of chromatin. To determine where lncRNAs bind to chromatin, we developed capture
hybridization analysis of RNA targets (CHART), a hybridization-based technique that
specifically enriches endogenous RNAs along with their targets from reversibly cross-linked
chromatin extracts. CHART was used to enrich the DNA and protein targets of endogenous
lncRNAs from flies and humans. This analysis was extended to genome-wide mapping of …
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important regulatory roles and can function at the level of chromatin. To determine where lncRNAs bind to chromatin, we developed capture hybridization analysis of RNA targets (CHART), a hybridization-based technique that specifically enriches endogenous RNAs along with their targets from reversibly cross-linked chromatin extracts. CHART was used to enrich the DNA and protein targets of endogenous lncRNAs from flies and humans. This analysis was extended to genome-wide mapping of roX2, a well-studied ncRNA involved in dosage compensation in Drosophila. CHART revealed that roX2 binds at specific genomic sites that coincide with the binding sites of proteins from the male-specific lethal complex that affects dosage compensation. These results reveal the genomic targets of roX2 and demonstrate how CHART can be used to study RNAs in a manner analogous to chromatin immunoprecipitation for proteins.
National Acad Sciences