X-inactivation is stably maintained in mouse embryos deficient for histone methyl transferase G9a.

One of the two X chromosomes becomes inactivated during early development of female mammals. Recent studies demonstrate that the inactive X chromosome is rich in histone H3 methylated at Lys-9 and Lys-27, suggesting an important role for these modifications in X-inactivation. It has been shown that in the mouse Eed is required for maintenance of X-inactivation in the extraembryonic lineages. Interestingly, Eed associates with Ezh2 to form a complex possessing histone methyltransferase activity predominantly for H3 Lys-27. We previously showed that G9a is one of the histone methyltransferases specific for H3 Lys-9 and is essential for embryonic development. Here we examined X-inactivation in mouse embryos deficient for G9a. Expression of Xist, which is crucial for the initiation of X-inactivation, was properly regulated and the inactivated X chromosome was stably maintained even in the absence of G9a. These results demonstrate that G9a is not essential for X-inactivation. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.