RTT109 regulates Polycomb-repressed genes independently from H3K56 acetylation status

Here, we identify the histone acetyltransferase RTT109 as a key regulator of PRC2-repressed domains in the model fungus Neurospora crassa. Although RTT109 interacts with the VPS75 homolog Nucleosome Assembly Factor 2 (NAF-2), we show that proper structure and function of PRC2-methylated chromatin require RTT109 catalytic activity but are independent of NAF-2 and H3K56 acetylation.

We further demonstrate that H3K27me3 can be stably propagated over multiple rounds of mitosis in the absence of sequence-specific PRC2 targeting, and that RTT109 is essential for maintenance of the repressed state. These findings uncover a replication-linked mechanism for epigenetic memory and establish RTT109 as a key regulator of Polycomb-mediated chromatin inheritance.