Histone H2A/H2B dimer exchange by ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activities.
ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activities function to manipulate chromatin structure during gene regulation. One of the ways in which they do this is by altering the positions of nucleosomes along DNA. Here we provide support for the ability of these complexes to move nucleosomes into positions in which DNA is unraveled from one edge. This is expected to result in the loss of histone-DNA contacts that are important for retention of one H2A/H2B dimer within the nucleosome. Consistent with this we find that several chromatin remodeling complexes are capable of catalyzing the exchange of H2A/H2B dimers between chromatin fragments in an ATP-dependent reaction. This provides eukaryotes with additional means by which they may manipulate chromatin structure.
Bruno
Michael
M
Division of Gene Regulation and Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom.
Flaus
Andrew
A
Stockdale
Chris
C
Rencurel
Chantal
C
Ferreira
Helder
H
Owen-Hughes
Tom
T
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D019281:Dimerization; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases