Prenucleosomes and active chromatin

Mai T. Khuong, Jia Fei, Haruhiko Ishii, James T. Kadonaga

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Chromatin consists of nucleosomes as well as nonnucleosomal histone-containing particles. Here we describe the prenucleosome, which is a stable conformational isomer of the nucleosome that associates with ~80 bp DNA. Prenucleosomes are formed rapidly upon the deposition of histones onto DNA and can be converted into canonical nucleosomes by an ATP-driven chromatin assembly factor such as ACF. Different lines of evidence reveal that there are prenucleosome-sized DNA-containing particles with histones in the upstream region of active promoters. Moreover, p300 acetylates histone H3K56 in prenucleosomes but not in nucleosomes, and H3K56 acetylation is found at active promoters and enhancers. These findings therefore suggest that there may be prenucleosomes or prenucleosome-like particles in the upstream region of active promoters. More generally, we postulate that prenucleosomes or prenucleosome-like particles are present at dynamic chromatin, whereas canonical nucleosomes are at static chromatin.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication21st Century Genetics Genes at Work, 2015
EditorsTerri Grodzicker, Bruce Stillman, David Stewart
PublisherCold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
Pages65-72
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)9781621821472
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event21st Century Genetics Genes at Work, 2015 - Huntington, United States
Duration: May 26 2015May 31 2015

Publication series

NameCold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology
Volume80
ISSN (Print)0091-7451
ISSN (Electronic)1943-4456

Other

Other21st Century Genetics Genes at Work, 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHuntington
Period5/26/155/31/15

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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