Analysis of human histone H2AZ deposition in vivo argues against its direct role in epigenetic templating mechanisms.
Chromatin is considered to be a principal carrier of epigenetic information due to the ability of alternative chromatin states to persist through generations of cell divisions and to spread on DNA. Replacement histone variants are novel candidates for epigenetic marking of chromatin. We developed a novel approach to analyze the chromatin environment of nucleosomes containing a particular replacement histone. We applied it to human H2AZ, one of the most studied alternative histones. We find that neither H2AZ itself nor other features of the H2AZ-containing nucleosome spread to the neighboring nucleosomes in vivo, arguing against a role for H2AZ as a self-perpetuating epigenetic mark.
Viens
Antoine
A
CNRS UMR 8126, Institut Gustave-Roussy, PR1, 39 rue Camille Desmoulin, 94100 Villejuif, France.
Mechold
Undine
U
Brouillard
Franck
F
Gilbert
Cristele
C
Leclerc
Philippe
P
Ogryzko
Vasily
V
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C077020:histone H2A.F-Z