Histone variant H2A.Z modulates nucleosome dynamics to promote DNA accessibility.

ABSTRACT: Nucleosomes, containing histone variants H2A.Z, are important for gene transcription initiation and termination, chromosome segregation and DNA double-strand break repair, among other functions. However, the underlying mechanisms of how H2A.Z influences nucleosome stability, dynamics and DNA accessibility are not well understood, as experimental and computational evidence remains inconclusive. Our modeling efforts of human nucleosome stability and dynamics, along with comparisons with experimental data show that the incorporation of H2A.Z results in a substantial decrease of the energy barrier for DNA unwrapping. This leads to the spontaneous DNA unwrapping of about forty base pairs from both ends, nucleosome gapping and increased histone plasticity, which otherwise is not observed for can

SUBMITTER: Li S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9918499 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature