Genome binding/occupancy profiling by high throughput sequencing
Summary
Centromere is the chromosomal locus at which kinetochore is assembled to direct chromosome segregation. Histone H3 variant CENP-A epigenetically marks active centromeres; however, the mechanism by which CENP-A propagates at the centromere, replacing histone H3, remains poorly understood. Using fission yeast, we find that CENP-ACnp1 chromatin assembly at the centromere requires the Ino80 ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex which removes histone H3-containing nucleosomes from associated chromatin. CENP-ACnp1 chromatin actively recruits the Ino80 complex to centromeres to elicit eviction of histone H3-containing nucleosomes. Artificial targeting of Ino80 subunits to a non-centromeric DNA placed in a native centromere enhances the spreading of CENP-ACnp1 chromatin into the non-centromeric DNA. Based on these results, we propose that CENP-ACnp1 chromatin employs the Ino80 complex to mediate replacement of histone H3 with CENP-ACnp1, and thereby reinforces itself.
Overall design
ChIP-Seq samples of CENP-ACnp1, histone H3, Flag-tagged Ino80 subunits in wild type (wt) and various mutants were prepared using fission yeast.