title: H4K44 Acetylation Facilitates Chromatin Accessibility during Meiosis.
abstract: Meiotic recombination hotspots are associated with histone post-translational modifications and open chromatin. However, it remains unclear how histone modifications and chromatin structure regulate meiotic recombination. Here, we identify acetylation of histone H4 at Lys44 (H4K44ac) occurring on the nucleosomal lateral surface. We show that H4K44 is acetylated at pre-meiosis and meiosis and displays genome-wide enrichment at recombination hotspots in meiosis. Acetylation at H4K44 is required for normal meiotic recombination, normal levels of double-strand breaks (DSBs) during meiosis, and optimal sporulation. Non-modifiable H4K44R results in increased nucleosomal occupancy around DSB hotspots. Our results indicate that H4K44ac functions to facilitate chromatin accessibility favorable for normal DSB formation and meiotic recombination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Jialei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donahue
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dorsey
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Laboratoire Biologie à Grande Echelle, INSERM, U1038 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Govin
authors.affiliation: Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Zuofei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: parisha@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Parisha P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: bergers@upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Shelley L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008540:Meiosis; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
keywords: acetylation; chromatin; histone; meiotic recombination; sporulation