Reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) resets the epigenome to an embryonic-like state. Vitamin C enhances the reprogramming process, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we show that the histone demethylases Jhdm1a/1b are key effectors of somatic cell reprogramming downstream of vitamin C. We first observed that vitamin C induces H3K36me2/3 demethylation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts in culture and during reprogramming. We then identified Jhdm1a/1b, two known vitamin-C-dependent H3K36 demethylases, as potent regulators of reprogramming through gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Furthermore, we found that Jhdm1b accelerates cell cycle progression and suppresses cell senescence during reprogramming by repressing the Ink4/Arf locus. Jhdm1b also cooperates with Oct4 to activate the microRNA cluster 302/367, an integral component of the pluripotency machinery. Our results therefore reveal a role for H3K36me2/3 in cell fate determination and establish a link between histone demethylases and vitamin-C-induced reprogramming.

Although SIRT7 is a member of sirtuin family proteins that are described as NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylases, the intrinsic enzymatic activity of this sirtuin protein remains to be investigated and the cellular function of SIRT7 remains to be explored. Here we report that SIRT7 is an NAD+-dependent histone desuccinylase. We show that SIRT7 is recruited to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in a PARP1-dependent manner and catalyses desuccinylation of H3K122 therein, thereby promoting chromatin condensation and DSB repair. We demonstrate that depletion of SIRT7 impairs chromatin compaction during DNA-damage response and sensitizes cells to genotoxic stresses. Our study indicates SIRT7 is a histone desuccinylase, providing a molecular basis for the understanding of epigenetic regulation by this sirtuin protein. Our experiments reveal that SIRT7-catalysed H3K122 desuccinylation is critically implemented in DNA-damage response and cell survival, providing a mechanistic insight into the cellular function of SIRT7.

A method is described for NMR-based screening that involves monitoring the 13 C/ 1 H chemical shift changes of a protein selectively labeled with 13 C at the methyl groups of valine, leucine, and isoleucine (δ1 only). Using this approach, the sensitivity is increased by nearly 3-fold compared with that of NMR-based screening using 1 H/ 15 N chemical shifts. A synthetic route is described for the inexpensive production of the labeled amino acid precursors [3,3′-13 C]-R-ketoisovalerate and [3-13 C]-R-ketobutyrate, making the cost of protein preparation comparable to that of uniform 15 N labeling. In addition to enhancing the NMR-based screening efforts directed against low molecular weight proteins (MW e 30 kDa), the use of the selective methyl labels in combination with deuterium labeling is advantageous for screening high molecular weight protein targets (MW g 100 kDa).