Bre1-mediated Set2 protein degradation promotes chronological aging in budding yeast [RNA-seq]

Histone modification affects life span in various organisms. The loss of Histone H3K36 methylation can shorten replicative life span in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, budding yeast, as a model organism for aging research, has replicative life span (RLS) and chronological life span (CLS). In this study, we showed that the loss of Histone H3K36 methylation can shorten CLS in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We identified Ubc3/Bre1 mediates polyubiquitination of Set2 K25 and K530 at log phase and stationary phase, and Bre1 interacts with Ubc3 and Rad6 simultaneously. BRE1 knockout can stabilize Set2 protein to maintain H3K36me3 and regulate the transcription of aging related genes, such as DSE1/DSE2/SUN4/EGT2/SCW11. We also proved that Gcn5-mediated Set2 acetylation regulates Set2 protein stability and chronological aging. Altogether, our study showed that knockout of BRE1 and GCN5 regulate Set2 protein level by mediating the polyubiquitination of Set2 to influence the level of H3K36me3 and the transcription level of aging related genes enriched by H3K36me3, thereby extending the chronological life span. Overall design: RNA-seq analysis of gene expression in WT, set2-delta and bre1-delta cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during chroological aging(Day4 vs Day1).ChIP-seq analysis of H3K36me3 binding in WT and bre1-delta cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae during chroological aging(Day4 vs Day1)