Clipped histone H3 is integrated into nucleosomes of DNA replication genes in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

ABSTRACT: Post-translational modifications of histone H3 N-terminal tails are key epigenetic regulators of virulence gene expression and sexual commitment in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Here, we identify proteolytic clipping of the N-terminal tail of nucleosome-associated histone H3 at amino acid position 21 as a new chromatin modification. A Cathepsin C-like proteolytic clipping activity is observed in nuclear parasite extracts. Notably, an ectopically expressed version of clipped histone H3, PfH3p-HA, is targeted to the nucleus and integrates into mononucleosomes. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and next generation sequencing analysis identified PfH3p-HA as being highly enriched in the upstream region of six genes that play a key role in DNA replication and repair:

SUBMITTER: Prof. Artur Scherf 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-EMBOR-2018-46331-T | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other