title: Structure of a CENP-A-histone H4 heterodimer in complex with chaperone HJURP.
abstract: In higher eukaryotes, the centromere is epigenetically specified by the histone H3 variant Centromere Protein-A (CENP-A). Deposition of CENP-A to the centromere requires histone chaperone HJURP (Holliday junction recognition protein). The crystal structure of an HJURP-CENP-A-histone H4 complex shows that HJURP binds a CENP-A-H4 heterodimer. The C-terminal β-sheet domain of HJURP caps the DNA-binding region of the histone heterodimer, preventing it from spontaneous association with DNA. Our analysis also revealed a novel site in CENP-A that distinguishes it from histone H3 in its ability to bind HJURP. These findings provide key information for specific recognition of CENP-A and mechanistic insights into the process of centromeric chromatin assembly.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mingzhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Junnan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hongda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuebiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yunyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui-Ming
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; C000619700:CENPA protein, human; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C524371:HJURP protein, human; D006657:Histones; D004247:DNA