title: Histones H2A/H2B inhibit the interaction of transcription factor IIIA with the Xenopus borealis somatic 5S RNA gene in a nucleosome.
abstract: A Xenopus borealis somatic 5S RNA gene was assembled with either the complete octamer of histones, (H2A/H2B/H3/H4)2, or the (H3/H4)2 tetramer of histones that comprises the central protein kernel of the nucleosome. Gel-mobility shifts, DNase I protection, and immunoblotting assays demonstrate that the class III transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) readily interacts with 5S DNA associated with the tetramer but that little or no binding is detected when 5S DNA is associated with the full octamer of histones. Thus, the presence of histones H2A and H2B in the 5S nucleosome significantly inhibits the interaction of TFIIIA with its cognate binding site within the 5S RNA gene. We propose that either the depletion of histones H2A and H2B from preexisting nucleosomes or the staged assembly of chromatin after replication in which a tetramer of histones H3/H4 associates with DNA before histones H2A/H2B will facilitate the binding of transcription factors to their cognate DNA sequences.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wolffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics*; D035582:Transcription Factor TFIIIA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014981:Xenopus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006657:Histones; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009707:Nucleosomes; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S; D035582:Transcription Factor TFIIIA; D014157:Transcription Factors