Abstract
One mode of γ-globin gene silencing involves a GATA-1·FOG-1·Mi2β repressor complex that binds to the -566 GATA site relative to the (A)γ-globin gene cap site. However, the mechanism of how this repressor complex is assembled at the -566 GATA site is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) processing enzymes, O-GlcNAc-transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), interact with the (A)γ-globin promoter at the -566 GATA repressor site; however, mutation of the GATA site to GAGA significantly reduces OGT and OGA promoter interactions in β-globin locus yeast artificial chromosome (β-YAC) bone marrow cells. When WT β-YAC bone marrow cells are treated with the OGA inhibitor Thiamet-G, the occupancy of OGT, OGA, and Mi2β at the (A)γ-globin promoter is increased. In addition, OGT and Mi2β recruitment is increased at the (A)γ-globin promoter when γ-globin becomes repressed in postconception day E18 human β-YAC transgenic mouse fetal liver. Furthermore, we show that Mi2β is modified with O-GlcNAc, and both OGT and OGA interact with Mi2β, GATA-1, and FOG-1. Taken together, our data suggest that O-GlcNAcylation is a novel mechanism of γ-globin gene regulation mediated by modulating the assembly of the GATA-1·FOG-1·Mi2β repressor complex at the -566 GATA motif within the promoter.