Nanoscale Characterization of Interaction of Nucleosomes with H1 Linker Histone

Authors

Ahmed Yesvi Rafa, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow
Shaun Filliaux, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow
Yuri L. Lyubchenko, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Journal Title

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Publication Date

2024

Volume

26

Abstract

In eukaryotic nuclei, DNA is wrapped around an octamer of core histones to form nucleosomes. H1 binds to the linker DNA of nucleosome to form the chromatosome, the next structural unit of chromatin. Structural features on individual chromatosomes contribute to chromatin structure, but not fully characterized. In addition to canonical nucleosomes composed of two copies each of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 (H3 nucleosomes), centromeres chromatin contain nucleosomes in which H3 is replaced with its analog CENP-A, changing structural properties of CENP-A nucleosomes. Nothing is known about the interaction of H1 with CENP-A nucleosomes. Here we filled this gap and characterized the interaction of H1 histone with both types of nucleosomes. H1 does bind both types of the nucleosomes forming more compact chromosome particles with elevated affinity to H3 nucleosomes. H1 binding significantly increases the stability of chromatosomes preventing their spontaneous dissociation. In addition to binding to the entry-exit position of the DNA arms identified earlier, H1 is capable of bridging of distant DNA segments. H1 binding leads to the assembly of mononucleosomes in aggregates, stabilized by internucleosome interactions as well as bridging of the DNA arms of chromatosomes. Contribution of these finding to the chromatin structure and functions are discussed.

MeSH Headings

Nucleosomes, Histones, DNA, Protein Binding, Humans, Animals, Chromatin, Centromere Protein A

DOI Link

10.3390/ijms26010303

ISSN

1422-0067

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Rafa, Ahmed Yesvi; Filliaux, Shaun; and Lyubchenko, Yuri L., "Nanoscale Characterization of Interaction of Nucleosomes with H1 Linker Histone" (2024). Journal Articles: Pharmaceutical Sciences. 48.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/cop_pharmsci_articles/48