title: Df31 protein and snoRNAs maintain accessible higher-order structures of chromatin.
abstract: Packaging of DNA into nucleosomes and the formation of higher-order chromatin structures determine DNA accessibility and activity of genome domains. We identified an RNA-dependent mechanism maintaining the open chromatin structure within euchromatic regions in Drosophila cells. The mechanism of reversible chromatin opening, reconstituted in vitro, depends on the Drosophila decondensation factor 31 (Df31) that specifically binds to RNA and localizes to euchromatic regions. Df31 is capable to tether a heterogeneous pool of short, single-stranded RNAs to chromatin. This class of chromatin-associated RNA (caRNA) is stably linked to chromatin and is largely composed of snoRNAs, which are preferentially bound by Df31. We suggest that the Df31-mediated linkage of snoRNAs and chromatin, forms a RNA-chromatin network resulting in the establishment of open chromatin domains. Analysis of caRNAs in human cells also reveals a strong enrichment of snoRNAs, implying a conserved role for these molecules in higher-order structures of chromatin.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie III, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31. 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: Miriam Caroline
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pusch
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diermeier
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benes
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kremmer
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imhof
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Längst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / Q000235:genetics; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C427466:Df31 protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins