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Structural determinants for generating centromeric chromatin

Author

Listed:
  • Ben E. Black

    (University of California
    University of California)

  • Daniel R. Foltz

    (University of California
    University of California)

  • Srinivas Chakravarthy

    (Colorado State University)

  • Karolin Luger

    (Colorado State University)

  • Virgil L. Woods

    (University of California)

  • Don W. Cleveland

    (University of California
    University of California
    University of California)

Abstract

Mammalian centromeres are not defined by a consensus DNA sequence. In all eukaryotes a hallmark of functional centromeres—both normal ones and those formed aberrantly at atypical loci—is the accumulation of centromere protein A (CENP-A), a histone variant that replaces H3 in centromeric nucleosomes1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Here we show using deuterium exchange/mass spectrometry coupled with hydrodynamic measures that CENP-A and histone H4 form sub-nucleosomal tetramers that are more compact and conformationally more rigid than the corresponding tetramers of histones H3 and H4. Substitution into histone H3 of the domain of CENP-A responsible for compaction is sufficient to direct it to centromeres. Thus, the centromere-targeting domain of CENP-A confers a unique structural rigidity to the nucleosomes into which it assembles, and is likely to have a role in maintaining centromere identity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben E. Black & Daniel R. Foltz & Srinivas Chakravarthy & Karolin Luger & Virgil L. Woods & Don W. Cleveland, 2004. "Structural determinants for generating centromeric chromatin," Nature, Nature, vol. 430(6999), pages 578-582, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:430:y:2004:i:6999:d:10.1038_nature02766
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02766
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Hoischen & Sibel Yavas & Thorsten Wohland & Stephan Diekmann, 2018. "CENP-C/H/I/K/M/T/W/N/L and hMis12 but not CENP-S/X participate in complex formation in the nucleoplasm of living human interphase cells outside centromeres," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-26, March.

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