Induction of chromatin condensation by nuclear expression of a novel arginine-rich cationic protein genetically engineered from the enhanced green fluorescent protein.
In the interphase nuclei of cultured cells, chromatin is compacted and organized in higher-order structures through the condensation and decondensation processes. Chromosomes in the interphase nucleus are known to occupy distinct territories. The chromosome territory-interchromatin compartment model premises that the interchromatin compartment is separated from compact higher-order chromatin domains and expands in between these chromatin-organized territories. Chromatin in cultured cells is compacted under some conditions, such as the stress of heat shock and high osmolarity, and Src-mediated nuclear tyrosine phosphorylation. We report here that a novel arginine-rich cationic protein is generated by frameshift mutation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The arginine-rich cationic protein is highly hydrophilic and contains potential arginine-based nuclear localization signals. Expression of the arginine-rich cationic protein shows its predominant localization to the nucleus and induces striking chromatin condensation in the interphase, which might be involved in interchromatin spacing or euchromatinization. Thus, the arginine-rich cationic protein as a new tool would be useful for dissecting chromatin architecture dynamics.
Higashiyama
Yukihiro
Y
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan.
Takahashi
Akinori
A
Fukumoto
Yasunori
Y
Nakayama
Yuji
Y
Yamaguchi
Naoto
N