ABSTRACT
Nucleosome composition actively contributes to chromatin structure and accessibility. Cells have developed mechanisms to remove or recycle histones, generating a landscape of differentially aged nucleosomes. This study aimed to create a high-resolution, genome-wide map of nucleosome turnover in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The recombination-induced tag exchange (RITE) method was used to study replication-independent nucleosome turnover through the appearance of new histone H3 and the disappearance or preservation of old histone H3. The genome-wide location of histones was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation-exonuclease methodology (ChIP-exo). The findings were compared with diverse chromatin marks, including histone variant H2A.Z, post-translational histone modifications, and Pol II binding. Finally, genome-wide mapping of the methylation states of H4K20 was performed to determine the relationship between methylation (mono, di, and tri) of this residue and nucleosome turnover. Our analysis showed that histone recycling resulted in low nucleosome turnover in the coding regions of active genes, stably expressed at intermediate levels. High levels of transcription resulted in the incorporation of new histones primarily at the end of transcribed units. H4K20 was methylated in low-turnover nucleosomes in euchromatic regions, notably in the coding regions of long genes that were expressed at low levels. This transcription-dependent accumulation of histone methylation was dependent on the histone chaperone complex FACT. Our data showed that nucleosome turnover is highly dynamic in the genome and that several mechanisms are at play to either maintain or suppress stability. In particular, we found that FACT-associated transcription conserves histones by recycling them and is required for progressive H4K20 methylation.
Subject(s)
Genome, Fungal , Histones/genetics , Nucleosomes/genetics , Schizosaccharomyces/genetics , Chromatin Immunoprecipitation , DNA Replication , Databases, Genetic , Genetic Association Studies , Histones/metabolism , Methylation , Microarray Analysis , Nucleosomes/metabolism , Protein Processing, Post-Translational , Schizosaccharomyces/metabolismABSTRACT
Nucleosome positioning governs access to eukaryotic genomes. Many genes show a stereotypic organisation at their 5'end: a nucleosome free region just upstream of the transcription start site (TSS) followed by a regular nucleosomal array over the coding region. The determinants for this pattern are unclear, but nucleosome remodelers are likely critical. Here we study the role of remodelers in global nucleosome positioning in S. pombe and the corresponding changes in expression. We find a striking evolutionary shift in remodeler usage between budding and fission yeast. The S. pombe RSC complex does not seem to be involved in nucleosome positioning, despite its prominent role in S. cerevisiae. While S. pombe lacks ISWI-type remodelers, it has two CHD1-type ATPases, Hrp1 and Hrp3. We demonstrate nucleosome spacing activity for Hrp1 and Hrp3 in vitro, and that together they are essential for linking regular genic arrays to most TSSs in vivo. Impaired arrays in the absence of either or both remodelers may lead to increased cryptic antisense transcription, but overall gene expression levels are only mildly affected.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Triphosphatases/physiology , DNA Helicases/physiology , DNA-Binding Proteins/physiology , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal , Nucleosomes/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/physiology , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins/physiology , Schizosaccharomyces/metabolism , Adenosine Triphosphatases/chemistry , Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , DNA Helicases/chemistry , DNA-Binding Proteins/chemistry , Dactinomycin/pharmacology , Gene Deletion , Histones/chemistry , Models, Biological , Mutation , Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/chemistry , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism , Schizosaccharomyces/genetics , Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins/chemistry , Transcription, Genetic , TranscriptomeABSTRACT
Centromeres are specialized chromatin regions marked by the presence of nucleosomes containing the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A, which is essential for chromosome segregation. Assembly and disassembly of nucleosomes is intimately linked to DNA topology, and DNA topoisomerases have previously been implicated in the dynamics of canonical H3 nucleosomes. Here we show that Schizosaccharomyces pombe Top3 and its partner Rqh1 are involved in controlling the levels of CENP-A(Cnp1) at centromeres. Both top3 and rqh1 mutants display defects in chromosome segregation. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and tiling microarrays, we show that Top3, unlike Top1 and Top2, is highly enriched at centromeric central domains, demonstrating that Top3 is the major topoisomerase in this region. Moreover, centromeric Top3 occupancy positively correlates with CENP-A(Cnp1) occupancy. Intriguingly, both top3 and rqh1 mutants display increased relative enrichment of CENP-A(Cnp1) at centromeric central domains. Thus, Top3 and Rqh1 normally limit the levels of CENP-A(Cnp1) in this region. This new role is independent of the established function of Top3 and Rqh1 in homologous recombination downstream of Rad51. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Top3-Rqh1 complex has an important role in controlling centromere DNA topology, which in turn affects the dynamics of CENP-A(Cnp1) nucleosomes.