title: A conserved function for the H2A.Z C terminus.
abstract: Histone H2A variants generate diversity in chromatin structure and functions, as nucleosomes containing variant H2A histones have altered physical, chemical, and biological properties. H2A.Z is an evolutionarily ancient and highly conserved H2A variant that regulates processes ranging from gene expression to the DNA damage response. Here we find that the unstructured portion of the C-terminal tail of H2A.Z is required for the normal functions of this histone variant in budding yeast. We have also identified a novel splice isoform of the human H2A.Z-2 gene that encodes a C-terminally truncated H2A.Z protein that is similar to the truncation mutants we identified in yeast. The short forms of H2A.Z in both yeast and human cells are more loosely associated with chromatin than the full-length proteins, indicating a conserved function for the H2A.Z C-terminal tail in regulating the association of H2A.Z with nucleosomes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wratting
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thistlethwaite
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Leo A H
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Zeef
authors.forename: Catherine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Millar
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; C493530:Htz1 protein, S cerevisiae; D009707:Nucleosomes; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C077020:histone H2A.F-Z