Apparent RNA bridging between PRC2 and chromatin is an artefact of non-specific chromatin precipitation upon RNA degradation

Abstract

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) modifies chromatin to maintain repression of genes specific for other cell lineages and is essential for development. In vitro, RNA inhibits PRC2 catalytic activity and interaction with nucleosomes but the effect of RNA on PRC2 in cells has been unclear, with studies concluding that RNA either antagonises or promotes the association of PRC2 with chromatin. The addition of RNase A to chromatin immunoprecipitation reactions has been reported to reduce detection of PRC2 target sites, suggesting the existence of an RNA bridge that connects PRC2 to chromatin. Here, we show that this apparent loss of PRC2 chromatin association after RNase A treatment is due to non-specific chromatin precipitation. RNA degradation causes chromatin to precipitate out of solution, thereby reducing the enrichment of specific DNA sequences in chromatin immunoprecipitation reactions. Maintaining chromatin solubility by the addition of poly-L-glutamic acid (PGA) rescues detection of PRC2 chromatin association upon RNA degradation. These findings undermine support for the model that RNA bridges PRC2 and chromatin in cells.