Project description:We developed a system to study the DNA replication-independent turnover nucleosomes containing the histone variant H3.3 in mammalian cells. By measuring the genome-wide incorporation of H3.3 at different time points following epitope-tagged H3.3 expression, we find three categories of H3.3-nucleosome turnover in vivo: rapid turnover, intermediate turnover and, specifically at telomeres, slow turnover. Our data indicate that H3.3-containing nucleosomes at enhancers and promoters undergo a rapid turnover that is associated with active histone modification marks including H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K27ac and the histone variant H2A.Z. The rate of turnover is negatively correlated with H3K27me3 at regulatory regions and with H3K36me3 at gene bodies. Examination of incorporation dynamics of histone variant H3.3
Project description:Disruption and replacement of nucleosomal histone (histone turnover, HT) take place during transcription and cell division. Here we examined the functional roles for replication-independent HT in directing precise regulatory genome in terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes (CMs) of adult heart. Surprisingly, histone H2B pausing and chasing assay revealed the histone halftime ~2.5 weeks in non-replicating CMs, in sharp contrast to the longer halftime of CMs, despite in the abscence of replication-dependent passive dilution of labeled histones. Regions of high HT identified enhancers of important heart function. Co-occupancy of mutiple cardiac transcription factors in part accounted for enhancers on sites lacking nucleosome eviction by passage of RNA polymerase II. Unexpectedly, both polycomb EED and HDACs augmented HT rate in bufferring poised enhancer activition without alteration of nucleosome occupancy. Thus, our results suggest replication-indenpendent HT as an additional layer of chromatin-based regulation of functional homeostasis.
Project description:Disruption and replacement of nucleosomal histone (histone turnover, HT) take place during transcription and cell division. Here we examined the functional roles for replication-independent HT in directing precise regulatory genome in terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes (CMs) of adult heart. Surprisingly, histone H2B pausing and chasing assay revealed the histone halftime ~2.5 weeks in non-replicating CMs, in sharp contrast to the longer halftime of CMs, despite in the abscence of replication-dependent passive dilution of labeled histones. Regions of high HT identified enhancers of important heart function. Co-occupancy of mutiple cardiac transcription factors in part accounted for enhancers on sites lacking nucleosome eviction by passage of RNA polymerase II. Unexpectedly, both polycomb EED and HDACs augmented HT rate in bufferring poised enhancer activition without alteration of nucleosome occupancy. Thus, our results suggest replication-indenpendent HT as an additional layer of chromatin-based regulation of functional homeostasis.
Project description:During DNA replication, nucleosomes are rapidly assembled on newly synthesized DNA to restore chromatin organization. Asf1, a key histone H3-H4 chaperone required for this process, is phosphorylated by Tousled-Like Kinases (TLKs). Here, we identify TLK phosphorylation sites by mass spectrometry and dissect how phosphorylation impacts on human Asf1 function. The divergent C-terminal tail of Asf1a is phosphorylated at several sites and this is required for timely progression through S phase. Consistent with this, biochemical analysis of wild-type and phospho-mimetic Asf1a shows that phosphorylation enhances binding to histones and the downstream chaperones CAF-1 and HIRA. Moreover, we find that TLK phosphorylation of Asf1a is induced in cells experiencing deficiency of new histones and that TLK interaction with Asf1a involves its histone-binding pocket. We thus propose that TLK signaling promotes histone supply in S phase by targeting histone-free Asf1 and stimulating its ability to shuttle histones to sites of chromatin assembly.