title: Sometimes one just isn't enough: do vertebrates contain an H2A.Z hyper-variant?
abstract: How much functional specialization can one component histone confer on a single nucleosome? The histone variant H2A.Z seems to be an extreme example. Genome-wide distribution maps show non-random (and evolutionarily conserved) patterns, with localized enrichment or depletion giving a tantalizing suggestion of function. Multiple post-translational modifications on the protein indicate further regulation. An additional layer of complexity has now been uncovered: the vertebrate form is actually encoded by two non-allelic genes that differ by expression pattern and three amino acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Hyun-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Michael-Christopher
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Keogh
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones