Positioning of nucleosomes containing γ-H2AX precedes active DNA demethylation and transcription initiation.

ABSTRACT: In addition to nucleosomes, chromatin contains non-histone chromatin-associated proteins, of which the high-mobility group proteins are the most abundant. Chromatin-mediated regulation of transcription involves DNA methylation and histone modifications. However, the order of events and the precise function of high-mobility group proteins during transcription initiation remain unclear. Here we show that high-mobility group AT-hook 2 protein (HMGA2) induces DNA nicks at the transcription start site, which are required by the histone chaperone FACT complex to incorporate nucleosomes containing the histone variant H2A.X. Further, phosphorylation of H2A.X at S139 (γ-H2AX) is required for repair-mediated DNA demethylation and transcription activation. The relevance of these findings is demonstra

SUBMITTER: Dobersch S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7886895 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature