1/ 🧵 In our new paper, we show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Accessory subunits of PRC2 mimic H3K27me3 to restrict the spread of Polycomb domains
Some proteins mimic the repressive mark H3K27me3, but the physiological relevance
of this phenomenon was unclear. Agius et al. show that the PRC2 subunits JARID2 and
PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonize...
www.cell.com
March 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM
1/ 🧵 In our new paper, we show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2. www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Work led by graduate student @trinitycookis.bsky.social and coauthors Alexandria Lydecker, @paulsauer.bsky.social, and @kasinath-lab.bsky.social is out today where we looked at the inhibition of PRC2 by histone PTMs associated with regions of active transcription.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Structural basis for the inhibition of PRC2 by active transcription histone posttranslational modifications - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Structures reveal that histone H3K36me3 and H3K4me3 modifications reduce Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) function through the inhibition of histone tail engagement and antagonistic binding to the...
www.nature.com
January 8, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Work led by graduate student @trinitycookis.bsky.social and coauthors Alexandria Lydecker, @paulsauer.bsky.social, and @kasinath-lab.bsky.social is out today where we looked at the inhibition of PRC2 by histone PTMs associated with regions of active transcription.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1/ 🚀 AEBP2 isn’t what we thought.
You were told that AEBP2 promotes PRC2 activity on chromatin.
We found the opposite: the most prevalent AEBP2 isoform inhibits PRC2 activity.
👉 surl.li/cgwqcq
A thread 🧵
You were told that AEBP2 promotes PRC2 activity on chromatin.
We found the opposite: the most prevalent AEBP2 isoform inhibits PRC2 activity.
👉 surl.li/cgwqcq
A thread 🧵
October 31, 2025 at 10:53 AM
1/ 🚀 AEBP2 isn’t what we thought.
You were told that AEBP2 promotes PRC2 activity on chromatin.
We found the opposite: the most prevalent AEBP2 isoform inhibits PRC2 activity.
👉 surl.li/cgwqcq
A thread 🧵
You were told that AEBP2 promotes PRC2 activity on chromatin.
We found the opposite: the most prevalent AEBP2 isoform inhibits PRC2 activity.
👉 surl.li/cgwqcq
A thread 🧵
Our latest paper on a histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controlling small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium is now published in #NAR.
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
A histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controls small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium
Abstract. To limit transposable element (TE) mobilization, most eukaryotes have evolved small RNAs to silence TE activity via homology-dependent mechanisms
academic.oup.com
October 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Our latest paper on a histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controlling small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium is now published in #NAR.
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
Happy to see our latest paper by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social et al out today in Developmental Cell @cellpress.bsky.social! We identify a role for VRN2-PRC2 in regulating light-responsive growth in Arabidopsis through the conditional epigenetic repression of PIF signalling. tinyurl.com/swbyff24
VRN2-PRC2 facilitates light-triggered repression of PIF signaling to coordinate growth in Arabidopsis
Osborne et al. show that the angiosperm-specific PRC2 subunit VRN2 is enriched in
hypoxic regions of the Arabidopsis shoot, where it is required for stable deposition
of H3K27me3 in key PIF4 target ge...
tinyurl.com
March 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Happy to see our latest paper by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social et al out today in Developmental Cell @cellpress.bsky.social! We identify a role for VRN2-PRC2 in regulating light-responsive growth in Arabidopsis through the conditional epigenetic repression of PIF signalling. tinyurl.com/swbyff24
How do cells tune PRC2 allostery? We find EZH2 Ser21-phos restrains PRC2 adoption of the compact active state. Loss of this restraint promotes H3K27me3, redistributes cPRC1, and impairs differentiation. New bioRxiv with @kasinath-lab.bsky.social & @garcialabms.bsky.social! tinyurl.com/4369kmh2
June 5, 2026 at 12:30 AM
How do cells tune PRC2 allostery? We find EZH2 Ser21-phos restrains PRC2 adoption of the compact active state. Loss of this restraint promotes H3K27me3, redistributes cPRC1, and impairs differentiation. New bioRxiv with @kasinath-lab.bsky.social & @garcialabms.bsky.social! tinyurl.com/4369kmh2
Excited to share our work on the specificity of PRC2 subcomplexes in stem cell and differentiation. We show that PRC2.1 and PRC2.2 exhibit distinct H3K27 methylation specificity in human pluripotent stem cells and opposing role in differentiation. Now online at Mol Cell: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes in human stem cells and cardiac differentiation
Much et al. reveal that the PRC2 subcomplexes PRC2.1 and PRC2.2 play distinct roles
in the epigenetic repression of developmental genes in human stem cells. Interactions
between the PRC2 core and its ...
www.cell.com
August 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Excited to share our work on the specificity of PRC2 subcomplexes in stem cell and differentiation. We show that PRC2.1 and PRC2.2 exhibit distinct H3K27 methylation specificity in human pluripotent stem cells and opposing role in differentiation. Now online at Mol Cell: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
Dynamic evolution of EZHIP, an inhibitor of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in mammals
The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is an ancient, conserved chromatin-interacting complex that controls gene expression, facilitating differentiation and cellular identity during development. It...
www.biorxiv.org
December 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
🧵 1/ We’re excited to share that our new paper with @adrianbracken.bsky.social lab is out 🎉 In this study (which began over 10 years ago!), we explore the biology of PRC2 and PRC1 in non-dividing cells. We also explore the effects of PRC2 inhibitor drugs on these cells. Here’s what we found👇
January 14, 2025 at 10:57 PM
🧵 1/ We’re excited to share that our new paper with @adrianbracken.bsky.social lab is out 🎉 In this study (which began over 10 years ago!), we explore the biology of PRC2 and PRC1 in non-dividing cells. We also explore the effects of PRC2 inhibitor drugs on these cells. Here’s what we found👇
1/ H3K27me3 mimicry has repeatedly emerged through evolution, but what's the physiological relevance?
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 15, 2025 at 12:12 AM
1/ H3K27me3 mimicry has repeatedly emerged through evolution, but what's the physiological relevance?
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We show that JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonise PRC2 in vivo and restrict the spread of Polycomb domains.
🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Happy to finally see this out in a peer-reviewed form 🧬🌱 Congrats to everyone who contributed!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The dual trxG/PcG protein ULTRAPETALA1 modulates H3K27me3 and directly enhances POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 activity for fine-tuned reproductive transitions - Nature Plants
This study reports a bivalent factor, ULTRAPETALA1, that can counteract as well as promote PRC2 activity at hundreds of developmental genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The pro-PRC2 activity of ULTRAPETAL...
www.nature.com
August 4, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Happy to finally see this out in a peer-reviewed form 🧬🌱 Congrats to everyone who contributed!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A report made counterintuitive claims that PRC2 binds
→ more RNA than PTBP1 & hnRNPU
→ RNAs that do not exist in the cell
We found a simple explanation: the authors ignore most RNA in the sample, leading to inflated background & misleading conclusions.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
→ more RNA than PTBP1 & hnRNPU
→ RNAs that do not exist in the cell
We found a simple explanation: the authors ignore most RNA in the sample, leading to inflated background & misleading conclusions.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Failing to account for RNA quantity inflates background and leads to the misleading appearance that PRC2 and GFP bind to RNA in vivo
We recently published biochemical and quantitative evidence that challenges the widespread claims that PRC2 binds directly to many RNAs in vivo . A recent preprint performs a re-analysis of some of ou...
www.biorxiv.org
November 18, 2024 at 1:11 AM
A report made counterintuitive claims that PRC2 binds
→ more RNA than PTBP1 & hnRNPU
→ RNAs that do not exist in the cell
We found a simple explanation: the authors ignore most RNA in the sample, leading to inflated background & misleading conclusions.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
→ more RNA than PTBP1 & hnRNPU
→ RNAs that do not exist in the cell
We found a simple explanation: the authors ignore most RNA in the sample, leading to inflated background & misleading conclusions.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
PRC2 regulates cytokinin and HD-ZIP III pathways to orchestrate vascular tissue pattern formation in Arabidopsis
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#plantscience
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#plantscience
PRC2 regulates cytokinin and HD-ZIP III pathways to orchestrate vascular tissue pattern formation in Arabidopsis
PRC2 regulates vascular patterning in hypocotyls by repressing cytokinin biosynthesis genes via H3K27me3 deposition, thereby modulating cytokinin signaling
https://academic.oup.com/plcell/advance-article/doi/10.1093/plcell/koaf194/8228529?login=true#no-access-message#no-access-message
August 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
PRC2 regulates cytokinin and HD-ZIP III pathways to orchestrate vascular tissue pattern formation in Arabidopsis
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#plantscience
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
#plantscience
Very happy to share our collaborative study revealing a novel recruitment mode for Polycomb at the chromatin: The 1st cryoEM structure of a plant PRC2 complex, in presence/absence of the ULT1 cofactor!
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
ULTRAPETALA1 remodels PRC2 recruitment to nucleosomes
Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) establishes transcriptional repression through trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a modification essential for developmental patterning. Here, we d...
www.biorxiv.org
June 20, 2026 at 11:54 PM
Very happy to share our collaborative study revealing a novel recruitment mode for Polycomb at the chromatin: The 1st cryoEM structure of a plant PRC2 complex, in presence/absence of the ULT1 cofactor!
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
👍🏻 @UGrenobleAlpes @IBS_Grenoble @LPCV_Grenoble @institut_curie www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Please see 🧵by @evhealy.bsky.social about our new paper exploring the role of PRC1 and PRC2 in non-dividing cells 👇
🧵 1/ We’re excited to share that our new paper with @adrianbracken.bsky.social lab is out 🎉 In this study (which began over 10 years ago!), we explore the biology of PRC2 and PRC1 in non-dividing cells. We also explore the effects of PRC2 inhibitor drugs on these cells. Here’s what we found👇
January 14, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Please see 🧵by @evhealy.bsky.social about our new paper exploring the role of PRC1 and PRC2 in non-dividing cells 👇
1/ It's long been assumed that AEBP2 recruit PRC2 to chromatin. Now, we show that AEBP2 usually does the exact opposite:
The only isoform of AEBP2 that is expressed in most cell types and tissues inhibits the chromatin-binding activity of PRC2. www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
The only isoform of AEBP2 that is expressed in most cell types and tissues inhibits the chromatin-binding activity of PRC2. www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Auto-inhibition of PRC2 by the broadly expressed long isoform of AEBP2 | The EMBO Journal
imageimageAEBP2 is an accessory subunit of the PRC2 complex previously implicated both in promoting
and antagonizing Polycomb repressive activity. This study reveals that its alternative
isoforms, AEB...
www.embopress.org
October 31, 2025 at 10:42 PM
1/ It's long been assumed that AEBP2 recruit PRC2 to chromatin. Now, we show that AEBP2 usually does the exact opposite:
The only isoform of AEBP2 that is expressed in most cell types and tissues inhibits the chromatin-binding activity of PRC2. www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
The only isoform of AEBP2 that is expressed in most cell types and tissues inhibits the chromatin-binding activity of PRC2. www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Excited to share a preprint from my lab on distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Macromolecular interactions dictate Polycomb-mediated epigenetic repression
The dynamic regulation of epigenetic states relies on complex macromolecular interactions. PRC2, the methyltransferase complex responsible for depositing H3K27me3, interacts with distinct accessory pr...
www.biorxiv.org
May 16, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Excited to share a preprint from my lab on distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The final version of our paper showing VRN2-PRC2 mediated control of PIF4 signalling is now published in the latest issue of Developmental Cell @cellpress.bsky.social. Many thanks to Zhe Wu for writing an accompanying Preview piece summarising the work, here: www.cell.com/developmenta...
PRC2-mediated repression of PIF4 targets beyond the on/off switch of gene expression
In this issue of Developmental Cell, Osborne et al. report that the angiosperm-specific
polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) subunit VERNALIZATION 2 (VRN2) regulates leaf
growth by stable deposition o...
www.cell.com
August 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
The final version of our paper showing VRN2-PRC2 mediated control of PIF4 signalling is now published in the latest issue of Developmental Cell @cellpress.bsky.social. Many thanks to Zhe Wu for writing an accompanying Preview piece summarising the work, here: www.cell.com/developmenta...
Online Now: Distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes in human stem cells and cardiac differentiation Online now:
Distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes in human stem cells and cardiac differentiation
Much et al. reveal that the PRC2 subcomplexes PRC2.1 and PRC2.2 play distinct roles in the epigenetic repression of developmental genes in human stem cells. Interactions between the PRC2 core and its accessory proteins, DNA, and H3K36me3 dictate PRC2 activity and, ultimately, modulate cardiac differentiation and function.
dlvr.it
August 12, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Online Now: Distinct specificity and functions of PRC2 subcomplexes in human stem cells and cardiac differentiation Online now:
PRC2 promotes canalisation during endodermal differentiation
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
@Robertillingwo7 @wbickmor.bsky.social
@josh-brickman.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
@Robertillingwo7 @wbickmor.bsky.social
@josh-brickman.bsky.social
PRC2 promotes canalisation during endodermal differentiation
Author summary Embryogenesis requires a tightly coordinated programme of cellular expansion and specialisation to gives rise to all of the cell- and tissue-types of the developing organism. In mammals...
journals.plos.org
February 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
PRC2 promotes canalisation during endodermal differentiation
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
@Robertillingwo7 @wbickmor.bsky.social
@josh-brickman.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
@Robertillingwo7 @wbickmor.bsky.social
@josh-brickman.bsky.social
VRN2-PRC2 facilitates light-triggered repression of PIF signaling to coordinate growth in Arabidopsis. Great work from @djgibbs.bsky.social lab together with @sjonhartman.bsky.social and @ekaiserli.bsky.social Developmental Cell www.cell.com/developmenta...
VRN2-PRC2 facilitates light-triggered repression of PIF signaling to coordinate growth in Arabidopsis
Osborne et al. show that the angiosperm-specific PRC2 subunit VRN2 is enriched in
hypoxic regions of the Arabidopsis shoot, where it is required for stable deposition
of H3K27me3 in key PIF4 target ge...
www.cell.com
March 27, 2025 at 7:47 PM
VRN2-PRC2 facilitates light-triggered repression of PIF signaling to coordinate growth in Arabidopsis. Great work from @djgibbs.bsky.social lab together with @sjonhartman.bsky.social and @ekaiserli.bsky.social Developmental Cell www.cell.com/developmenta...
☕Zhou, Wang et al. dissect the role of #PRC2 in early #embryogenesis through inducible degradation of EED, a core PRC2 subunit, and report that PRC2 is required for proper maternal-to-zygotic transition and promotes #epiblast specification.
👉https://rdcu.be/fwFjr
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉https://rdcu.be/fwFjr
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Decoding stage-specific functions of PRC2 in early embryogenesis uncovers roles in preimplantation development and primordial germ cell fate - Nature Cell Biology
Zhou, Wang et al. dissect the role of PRC2 in early embryogenesis through inducible degradation of EED, a core PRC2 subunit, and report that PRC2 is required for proper maternal-to-zygotic transition ...
www.nature.com
July 29, 2026 at 1:31 PM
☕Zhou, Wang et al. dissect the role of #PRC2 in early #embryogenesis through inducible degradation of EED, a core PRC2 subunit, and report that PRC2 is required for proper maternal-to-zygotic transition and promotes #epiblast specification.
👉https://rdcu.be/fwFjr
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉https://rdcu.be/fwFjr
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We are excited to share our new preprint demonstrating that nucleic acid interactions with SUZ12 constrain PRC2 activity, establishing a kinetic buffer essential for targeted gene silencing and revealing vulnerabilities in diffuse midline gliomas.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
July 23, 2025 at 11:38 PM
We are excited to share our new preprint demonstrating that nucleic acid interactions with SUZ12 constrain PRC2 activity, establishing a kinetic buffer essential for targeted gene silencing and revealing vulnerabilities in diffuse midline gliomas.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Online Now: Accessory subunits of PRC2 mimic H3K27me3 to restrict the spread of Polycomb domains Online now:
Accessory subunits of PRC2 mimic H3K27me3 to restrict the spread of Polycomb domains
Some proteins mimic the repressive mark H3K27me3, but the physiological relevance of this phenomenon was unclear. Agius et al. show that the PRC2 subunits JARID2 and PALI1 mimic H3K27me3 to antagonize PRC2-mediated H3K27me3 deposition, limit Polycomb domain spreading, and enable timely activation of developmental genes in vivo.
dlvr.it
March 4, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Online Now: Accessory subunits of PRC2 mimic H3K27me3 to restrict the spread of Polycomb domains Online now:
Now with the #plantscience #epigenetics hashtags 😅
Excited to see our work led by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social & @djgibbs.bsky.social out in Developmental Cell. 🌱 We show that VRN2-PRC2 in meristematic hypoxic niches epigenetically limits growth through PIF targets.
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Excited to see our work led by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social & @djgibbs.bsky.social out in Developmental Cell. 🌱 We show that VRN2-PRC2 in meristematic hypoxic niches epigenetically limits growth through PIF targets.
www.cell.com/developmenta...
VRN2-PRC2 facilitates light-triggered repression of PIF signaling to coordinate growth in Arabidopsis
Osborne et al. show that the angiosperm-specific PRC2 subunit VRN2 is enriched in
hypoxic regions of the Arabidopsis shoot, where it is required for stable deposition
of H3K27me3 in key PIF4 target ge...
www.cell.com
March 27, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Now with the #plantscience #epigenetics hashtags 😅
Excited to see our work led by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social & @djgibbs.bsky.social out in Developmental Cell. 🌱 We show that VRN2-PRC2 in meristematic hypoxic niches epigenetically limits growth through PIF targets.
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Excited to see our work led by @drosborneplantsci.bsky.social & @djgibbs.bsky.social out in Developmental Cell. 🌱 We show that VRN2-PRC2 in meristematic hypoxic niches epigenetically limits growth through PIF targets.
www.cell.com/developmenta...