Human CENP-A contains a histone H3 related histone fold domain that is required for targeting to the centromere.
Centromeres are the differentiated chromosomal domains that specify the mitotic behavior of chromosomes. To examine the molecular basis for the specification of centromeric chromatin, we have cloned a human cDNA that encodes the 17-kD histone-like centromere antigen, CENP-A. Two domains are evident in the 140 aa CENP-A polypeptide: a unique NH2-terminal domain and a 93-amino acid COOH-terminal domain that shares 62% identity with nucleosomal core protein, histone H3. An epitope tagged derivative of CENP-A was faithfully targeted to centromeres when expressed in a variety of animal cells and this targeting activity was shown to reside in the histone-like COOH-terminal domain of CENP-A. These data clearly indicate that the assembly of centromeres is driven, at least in part, by the incorporation of a novel core histone into centromeric chromatin.
Department of Cell Biology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018668:Muntjacs; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D017510:Protein Folding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D001324:Autoantigens; C000619700:CENPA protein, human; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D006657:Histones; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins