Project description:Replication of the eukaryotic genome occurs in the context of chromatin, a nucleoprotein packaging state consisting of repeating nucleosomes. Chromatin is commonly thought to carry epigenetic information from one generation to the next, although it is unclear how such information survives the disruptions of nucleosomal architecture that occur during genomic replication. Here, we sought to directly measure a key aspect of chromatin structure dynamics during replication â how rapidly nucleosome positions are established on the newly-replicated daughter genomes. By isolating newly-synthesized DNA marked with the nucleotide analogue EdU, we characterize nucleosome positions on both daughter genomes of budding yeast during a time course of chromatin maturation. We find that nucleosomes rapidly adopt their mid log positions at highly-transcribed genes, and that this process was impaired upon treatment with the transcription inhibitor thiolutin, consistent with a role for transcription in positioning nucleosomes in vivo. Additionally, experiments in the Hir1Î background reveal a role for HIR in nucleosome spacing. Using strand-specific EdU libraries, we characterize nucleosome positions on the leading and lagging strand daughter genomes, uncovering differences in chromatin maturation dynamics between the two daughter genomes at hundreds of genes. Our data define the maturation dynamics of newly-replicated chromatin, and support a role for transcription in sculpting the chromatin template. We have mapped changes in nucleosome positions on newly replicated DNA in a timecourse after genome replication. We have used Micrococcal Nuclease footprinting of cross linked chromatin to determine nucleosome positions and EdU (ethylene deoxy uridine) to mark nascent DNA strands. EdU incorporated into nascent DNA strands was biotinylated with Click chemistry and nascent DNA strand fragments were subsequently isolated using Streptavidin coated magnetic beads.
Project description:The structural complexity of nucleosomes underlies their functional versatility. Here we report a new type of complexity – nucleosome fragility, manifested as high sensitivity to micrococcal nuclease, in contrast to the common presumption that nucleosomes are similar in resistance to MNase digestion. Using differential MNase digestion of chromatin and high-throughput sequencing, we have identified a special group of nucleosomes termed fragile nucleosomes throughout the yeast genome, nearly one thousand of which are at previously determined “nucleosome free” loci. Nucleosome fragility is broadly implicated in multiple chromatin processes, including transcription, translocation and replication, in correspondence to specific physiological states of cells. In the environmental-stress-response genes, the presence of fragile nucleosomes prior to the occurrence of environmental changes suggests that nucleosome fragility poises genes for swift up-regulation in response to the environmental changes. We propose that nucleosome fragility underscores distinct functional statuses of the chromatin and provides a new dimension for portraying the landscape of genome organization.
Project description:The structural complexity of nucleosomes underlies their functional versatility. Here we report a new type of complexity – nucleosome fragility, manifested as high sensitivity to micrococcal nuclease, in contrast to the common presumption that nucleosomes are similar in resistance to MNase digestion. Using differential MNase digestion of chromatin and high-throughput sequencing, we have identified a special group of nucleosomes termed fragile nucleosomes throughout the yeast genome, nearly one thousand of which are at previously determined “nucleosome free” loci. Nucleosome fragility is broadly implicated in multiple chromatin processes, including transcription, translocation and replication, in correspondence to specific physiological states of cells. In the environmental-stress-response genes, the presence of fragile nucleosomes prior to the occurrence of environmental changes suggests that nucleosome fragility poises genes for swift up-regulation in response to the environmental changes. We propose that nucleosome fragility underscores distinct functional statuses of the chromatin and provides a new dimension for portraying the landscape of genome organization. Comparing nucleosome occupancy under different MNase digestion levels and growth conditions.
Project description:Background: Chromatin remodeling complexes facilitate the access of enzymes that mediate transcription, replication or repair of DNA by modulating nucleosome position and/or composition. Ino80 is the DNA-dependent Snf2-like ATPase subunit of a complex whose nucleosome remodeling activity requires actin-related proteins, Arp4, Arp5 and Arp8, as well as two RuvB-like DNA helicase subunits. Budding yeast mutants deficient for Ino80 function are not only hypersensitive to reagents that induce DNA double strand breaks, but also to those that impair replication fork progression. Results: To understand why ino80 mutants are sensitive to agents that perturb DNA replication, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation to map the binding sites of the Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex on four budding yeast chromosomes. We found that Ino80 and Arp5 binding sites coincide with origins of DNA replication and tRNA genes. In addition, Ino80 was bound at 67% of the promoters of genes that are sensitive to ino80 mutation. When replication forks were arrested near origins in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), the presence of the Ino80 complex at stalled forks and at unfired origins increased dramatically. Importantly, the resumption of DNA replication after release from a HU block was impaired in the absence of Ino80 activity. Mutant cells accumulated double-strand breaks as they attempted to restart replication. Consistently, ino80-deficient cells, although proficient for checkpoint activation, delay recovery from the checkpoint response. Conclusions: The Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex is enriched at stalled replication forks where it promotes the resumption of replication upon recovery from fork arrest. Keywords: ChIP-chip
Project description:The disruption of chromatin structure can result in transcription initiation from cryptic promoters within gene bodies. While the passage of RNA polymerase II is a well-characterized chromatin-disrupting force, numerous factors, including histone chaperones, normally stabilize chromatin on transcribed genes, thereby repressing cryptic transcription. DNA replication, which requires a partially overlapping set of histone chaperones, is also inherently disruptive to chromatin, but a role for DNA replication in cryptic transcription has never been examined. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that, in the absence of chromatin-stabilizing factors, DNA replication can promote cryptic transcription in S. cerevisiae. Using a novel fluorescent reporter assay, we show that multiple factors, including Asf1, CAF-1, Rtt106, Spt6, and FACT, block transcription from a cryptic promoter, but are entirely or partially dispensable in G1-arrested cells, suggesting a requirement for DNA replication in chromatin disruption. Collectively, these results demonstrate that transcription fidelity is dependent on numerous factors that function to assemble chromatin on nascent DNA.
Project description:Replication of the eukaryotic genome occurs in the context of chromatin, a nucleoprotein packaging state consisting of repeating nucleosomes. Chromatin is commonly thought to carry epigenetic information from one generation to the next, although it is unclear how such information survives the disruptions of nucleosomal architecture that occur during genomic replication. Here, we sought to directly measure a key aspect of chromatin structure dynamics during replication â?? how rapidly nucleosome positions are established on the newly-replicated daughter genomes. By isolating newly-synthesized DNA marked with the nucleotide analogue EdU, we characterize nucleosome positions on both daughter genomes of budding yeast during a time course of chromatin maturation. We find that nucleosomes rapidly adopt their mid log positions at highly-transcribed genes, and that this process was impaired upon treatment with the transcription inhibitor thiolutin, consistent with a role for transcription in positioning nucleosomes in vivo. Additionally, experiments in the Hir1-delta background reveal a role for HIR in nucleosome spacing. Using strand-specific EdU libraries, we characterize nucleosome positions on the leading and lagging strand daughter genomes, uncovering differences in chromatin maturation dynamics between the two daughter genomes at hundreds of genes. Our data define the maturation dynamics of newly-replicated chromatin, and support a role for transcription in sculpting the chromatin template. Gene expression array.
Project description:Background: Chromatin remodeling complexes facilitate the access of enzymes that mediate transcription, replication or repair of DNA by modulating nucleosome position and/or composition. Ino80 is the DNA-dependent Snf2-like ATPase subunit of a complex whose nucleosome remodeling activity requires actin-related proteins, Arp4, Arp5 and Arp8, as well as two RuvB-like DNA helicase subunits. Budding yeast mutants deficient for Ino80 function are not only hypersensitive to reagents that induce DNA double strand breaks, but also to those that impair replication fork progression. Results: To understand why ino80 mutants are sensitive to agents that perturb DNA replication, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation to map the binding sites of the Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex on four budding yeast chromosomes. We found that Ino80 and Arp5 binding sites coincide with origins of DNA replication and tRNA genes. In addition, Ino80 was bound at 67% of the promoters of genes that are sensitive to ino80 mutation. When replication forks were arrested near origins in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), the presence of the Ino80 complex at stalled forks and at unfired origins increased dramatically. Importantly, the resumption of DNA replication after release from a HU block was impaired in the absence of Ino80 activity. Mutant cells accumulated double-strand breaks as they attempted to restart replication. Consistently, ino80-deficient cells, although proficient for checkpoint activation, delay recovery from the checkpoint response. Conclusions: The Ino80 chromatin remodeling complex is enriched at stalled replication forks where it promotes the resumption of replication upon recovery from fork arrest. Keywords: ChIP-chip
Project description:Replication of the eukaryotic genome occurs in the context of chromatin, a nucleoprotein packaging state consisting of repeating nucleosomes. Chromatin is commonly thought to carry epigenetic information from one generation to the next, although it is unclear how such information survives the disruptions of nucleosomal architecture that occur during genomic replication. Here, we sought to directly measure a key aspect of chromatin structure dynamics during replication – how rapidly nucleosome positions are established on the newly-replicated daughter genomes. By isolating newly-synthesized DNA marked with the nucleotide analogue EdU, we characterize nucleosome positions on both daughter genomes of budding yeast during a time course of chromatin maturation. We find that nucleosomes rapidly adopt their mid log positions at highly-transcribed genes, and that this process was impaired upon treatment with the transcription inhibitor thiolutin, consistent with a role for transcription in positioning nucleosomes in vivo. Additionally, experiments in the Hir1Δ background reveal a role for HIR in nucleosome spacing. Using strand-specific EdU libraries, we characterize nucleosome positions on the leading and lagging strand daughter genomes, uncovering differences in chromatin maturation dynamics between the two daughter genomes at hundreds of genes. Our data define the maturation dynamics of newly-replicated chromatin, and support a role for transcription in sculpting the chromatin template.