Evidence for cohesin sliding along budding yeast chromosomes.
The ring-shaped cohesin complex is thought to topologically hold sister chromatids together from their synthesis in S phase until chromosome segregation in mitosis. How cohesin stably binds to chromosomes for extended periods, without impeding other chromosomal processes that also require access to the DNA, is poorly understood. Budding yeast cohesin is loaded onto DNA by the Scc2-Scc4 cohesin loader at centromeres and promoters of active genes, from where cohesin translocates to more permanent places of residence at transcription termination sites. Here we show that, at the GAL2 and MET17 loci, pre-existing cohesin is pushed downstream along the DNA in response to transcriptional gene activation, apparently without need for intermittent dissociation or reloading. We observe translocation intermediates and find that the distribution of most chromosomal cohesin is shaped by transcription. Our observations support a model in which cohesin is able to slide laterally along chromosomes while maintaining topological contact with DNA. In this way, stable cohesin binding to DNA and enduring sister chromatid cohesion become compatible with simultaneous underlying chromosomal activities, including but maybe not limited to transcription.
The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK.
Maria
M
Ocampo-Hafalla
The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK.
Sofía
S
Muñoz
The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK.
Catarina P
CP
Samora
The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK frank.uhlmann@crick.ac.uk.
Frank
F
Uhlmann
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism*; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003547:Cysteine Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D004261:DNA Replication; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004718:Saccharomycetales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D000097722:Cohesins
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D003547:Cysteine Synthase; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000097722:Cohesins; C106901:GAL2 protein, S cerevisiae; C115913:SSQ1 protein, S cerevisiae; C103381:MET17 protein, S cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae; cohesin; genome stability; sister chromatid cohesion; transcription