title: Identification of noncoding transcripts from within CENP-A chromatin at fission yeast centromeres.
abstract: The histone H3 variant CENP-A is the most favored candidate for an epigenetic mark that specifies the centromere. In fission yeast, adjacent heterochromatin can direct CENP-A(Cnp1) chromatin establishment, but the underlying features governing where CENP-A(Cnp1) chromatin assembles are unknown. We show that, in addition to centromeric regions, a low level of CENP-A(Cnp1) associates with gene promoters where histone H3 is depleted by the activity of the Hrp1(Chd1) chromatin-remodeling factor. Moreover, we demonstrate that noncoding RNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from CENP-A(Cnp1) chromatin at centromeres. These analyses reveal a similarity between centromeres and a subset of RNAPII genes and suggest a role for remodeling at RNAPII promoters within centromeres that influences the replacement of histone H3 with CENP-A(Cnp1).
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology and Institute of Cell Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Eun Shik
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Annelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strålfors
authors.forename: Araceli G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Mickaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durand-Dubief
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ekwall
authors.forename: Robin C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Allshire
mesh_terms: D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / Q000502:physiology*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C410349:Cnp1 protein, S pombe; D006570:Heterochromatin; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D012319:RNA Polymerase II