HP1 reshapes nucleosome core to promote phase separation of heterochromatin.

ABSTRACT: Heterochromatin affects genome function at many levels. It enables heritable gene repression, maintains chromosome integrity and provides mechanical rigidity to the nucleus^1,2. These diverse functions are proposed to arise in part from compaction of the underlying chromatin². A major type of heterochromatin contains at its core the complex formed between HP1 proteins and chromatin that is methylated on histone H3, lysine 9 (H3K9me). HP1 is proposed to use oligomerization to compact chromatin into phase-separated condensates^3-6. Yet, how HP1-mediated phase separation relates to chromatin compaction remains unclear. Here we show that chromatin compaction by the Schizosaccharomyces pombe HP1 protein Swi6 results in phase-separated liquid condensates. Unexpecte

SUBMITTER: Sanulli S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7039410 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature