Histone H3 Post-Translational Modification Changes are Linked to Manganese and Copper Exposure in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Prolonged exposures to heavy metals are risk factors for chronic diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). ALS/FTD comprises a fatal neurodegenerative disease continuum and is linked to disruptions in the levels of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Epigenetic mechanisms can connect environmental exposures to disease occurrences. Here, we examine the effects of manganese and copper exposure on the H3 PTM landscape in yeast. Manganese exposure decreases H3K9ac, H3K14ac, and H3S10ph levels. Copper exposure increases H3S10ph and H3K14ac levels and decreases H3K36me3 levels. This provides a basis for linking environmental exposure to biological mechanisms of disease.