Chromatin-to-nucleoprotamine transition is controlled by the histone H2B variant TH2B.
Genes Dev
; 27(15): 1680-92, 2013 Aug 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23884607
ABSTRACT
The conversion of male germ cell chromatin to a nucleoprotamine structure is fundamental to the life cycle, yet the underlying molecular details remain obscure. Here we show that an essential step is the genome-wide incorporation of TH2B, a histone H2B variant of hitherto unknown function. Using mouse models in which TH2B is depleted or C-terminally modified, we show that TH2B directs the final transformation of dissociating nucleosomes into protamine-packed structures. Depletion of TH2B induces compensatory mechanisms that permit histone removal by up-regulating H2B and programming nucleosome instability through targeted histone modifications, including lysine crotonylation and arginine methylation. Furthermore, after fertilization, TH2B reassembles onto the male genome during protamine-to-histone exchange. Thus, TH2B is a unique histone variant that plays a key role in the histone-to-protamine packing of the male genome and guides genome-wide chromatin transitions that both precede and follow transmission of the male genome to the egg.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Chromatin
/
Histones
/
Protamines
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Genes Dev
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Year:
2013
Type:
Article