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Molecular cloning and expression of mRNAs encoding H1 histone and an H1 histone-like sequences in root tips of pea (Psium sativum L.).

Two cDNA clones representing mRNAs, highly expressed in pea root tips, were isolated by mRNA differential display. Ribonuclease protection analyses showed different patterns of expression of these two messages in several pea tissues. Sequence analysis showed that the first clone, PsH1b-40, has 100% homology with a previously isolated H1 histone cDNA, PsH1b. However, it has an additional 30 nt at the 3' end which is absent in PsH1b, suggesting possible multiple polyadenylation sites in the same mRNA. The second clone, PsH1b-41, encodes a deduced 19.5 kDa protein of 185 amino acids with an isoelectric point of 11.5. The putative globular domain of the encoded protein showed 67-71% residue identity with globular domains of 28 kDa pea PsH1b H1 histone and Arabidopsis thaliana H1-1 H1 histone. It has 9 repeating motifs of (T/S)XXK. In the C-terminal domain, there are four lysine-rich repeating motifs of SXK(T/S)PXKKXK which may be involved in chromatin condensation and decondensation. Southern blot analysis of nuclear DNA shows that PsH1-41 belongs to a multigene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Content of histone H1 and histone phosphorylation in relation to the higher order structures of chromatin in Drosophila.

The amount of histone H1 relative to core histones has been determined in three Drosophila species (D. melanogaster, D. texana and D. virilis) in chromatin from several tissues differing in chromatin structure and genetic activity. Low levels of H1 were found in relatively undifferentiated, early embryos as well as in a line of cultured cells. In late embryos the content of H1 was highest in D. virilis which possesses larger amounts of and a partially more compacted constitutive heterochromatin than the two other species. Polytene chromatin from larval salivary glands showed increased levels of H1 compared with diploid chromatin and the degree of phosphorylation of this histone was relatively low. The degree of phosphorylation of H2A was found to be drastically reduced in polytene as compared with diploid embryonic chromatin, which parallels the extensive underreplication of constitutive heterochromatin. Also, in diploid chromatin a qualitative correlation was observed between the relative amounts of heterochromatin and the levels of H2A phosphorylation. These findings suggest a connection between H2A phosphorylation and heavy compaction of interphase chromatin.

Animals↗

Differential regulation of the Sir2 histone deacetylase gene family by inhibitors of class I and II histone deacetylases.

The Sir2 histone deacetylase gene family consists of seven mammalian sirtuins (SIRTs) which are NAD-dependent histone/protein deacetylases. Sir2 proteins regulate, for instance, genome stability by chromatin silencing in yeast. In mammals, their function is still largely unknown. Due to the NAD+ dependency, Sir2 might be the link between metabolic activity and histone/protein acetylation. Regulation of gene expression also seems to play an important role in Sir2 functions, since increasing the dosage of Sir2 genes increases genome stability in yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans. We observed that the modification of histone/protein acetylation status by several class I and II histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors induces differential changes in gene expression profiles of seven SIRT mRNAs in cultured neuronal cells. SIRT2, SIRT4 and SIRT7 were upregulated, whereas SIRT1, SIRT5 and SIRT6 were downregulated by trichostatin A (TSA) and n-butyrate. The upregulation of SIRT mRNAs was inhibited by actinomycin D. Interestingly, the regulation of SIRT mRNAs was highly similar both in mouse Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells and post-mitotic rat primary hippocampal and cerebellar granule neurons. Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation technique, we showed that the upregulation of SIRT2 expression with TSA is related to the hyperacetylation of DNA-bound histone H4 within the first 500 bp upstream of the transcription start site of the SIRT2 gene. Chemically different types of HDAC inhibitors, such as TSA, apicidin, SAHA, M344 and n-butyrate induced remarkably similar responses in SIRT1-7 mRNA expression patterns. Differential responses in SIRT mRNA expression profiles indicate that the expression of the Sir2 family of genes is selectively regulated and dependent on histone/protein acetylation status.

Acetylation↗

Molecular and evolutionary analysis of mussel histone genes (Mytilus spp.): possible evidence of an "orphon origin" for H1 histone genes.

Linker histones are a divergent group of histone proteins with an independent evolutionary history in which, besides somatic subtypes, tissue- and differentiation-specific subtypes are included. In the present work H1 histone coding and noncoding segments from five Mytilus mussel species (Mollusca: Bivalvia) widely distributed throughout the world have been determined and characterized. Analysis of promoter regions shows clear homologies among Mytilus H1 genes, sea urchin H1 genes, and vertebrate differentiation-specific H1 subtypes (H5 and H1(o)), all having an H4 box motif in common. The amino acid sequence of the H1 protein central conserved domain is also closely related to that previously defined for the vertebrate divergent subtypes. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed from different H1 genes from several species strengthens the hypothesis of an "orphon" origin for the Mytilus H1 genes, as well as for the H1(o)/H5 genes from vertebrates and the H1D gene from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, is suggested. As additional data, the average copy number of the H1 genes in the species analyzed was estimated as being 100 to 110 copies per haploid genome, where FISH revealed telomeric chromosomal location for several H1 copies in M. galloprovincialis. The contribution of such proximity to heterochromatic regions over the amount of codon bias detected for H1 genes is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding of HMG14 non-histone protein to histones H2A, H2B, H1 and DNA in reconstituted chromatin.

The interaction between calf thymus HMG14 and rat liver chromatin components has been studied via reconstitution and chemical cross-linking. Selective labeling of HMG14 with photoactivable reversible heterobifunctional reagents has allowed a clear identification of the histones interacting with it (histones H2A, H2B and H1). These results are not dependent on whether the chromatin samples used were bulk chromatin, mononucleosomes, or core particles (for H2A and H2B). In addition to histone proteins, DNA also seems to be involved in HMG14 attachment to nucleosome.

Animals↗

A rat histone H2B pseudogene is closely associated with the histone H1d gene.

A 9 kb EcoRI restriction fragment was isolated from a recombinant phage out of a rat genomic library. This DNA fragment contains a rat H1d histone gene, its flanking sequences and a H2B histone pseudogene closely associated with the H1d gene. A comparison of the H2B pseudogene with human H2B genes flanking regions reveals sequence homologies to a human H2B histone gene (Albig, W. et al. (1991) Genomics 10, 940-948).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Histone-encoding genes from Pyrococcus: evidence for members of the HMf family of archaeal histones in a non-methanogenic Archaeon.

Two genes, designated hpyA1 and hpyA2, have been cloned and sequenced from Pyrococcus strain GB-3a. They are predicted to encode proteins (HPyA1 and HPyA2, respectively) that are approx. 60% identical to the histones HMf and HMt, characterized from methanogenic Archaea. These archaeal histones also contain the amino-acid sequences, conserved in eukaryotic H4 histones, that are thought to interact directly with DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Histone H3 lysine 4 mono-methylation does not require ubiquitination of histone H2B.

The yeast Set1-complex catalyzes histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation. Using N-terminal Edman sequencing, we determined that 50% of H3K4 is methylated and consists of roughly equal amounts of mono, di and tri-methylated H3K4. We further show that loss of either Paf1 of the Paf1 elongation complex, or ubiquitination of histone H2B, has only a modest effect on bulk histone mono-methylation at H3K4. Despite the fact that Set1 recruitment decreases in paf1delta cells, loss of Paf1 results in an increase of H3K4 mono-methylation at the 5' coding region of active genes, suggesting a Paf1-independent targeting of Set1. In contrast to Paf1 inactivation, deleting RTF1 affects H3K4 mono-methylation at the 3' coding region of active genes and results in a decrease of global H3K4 mono-methylation. Our results indicate that the requirements for mono-methylation are distinct from those for H3K4 di and tri-methylation, and point to differences among members of the Paf1 complex in the regulation of H3K4 methylation.

Histones↗

Photo-induced crosslinking of histones H3 and H1 to DNA in deoxyribonucleoprotein: implication in studying histone-DNA interactions.

A thymine-modified derivative of histone H3, isolated as a result of heat treatment of covalently crosslinked DNA-protein photoadduct from UV-irradiated chromatin, was obtained. Sequence analysis of one of its tryptic peptides revealed that lysine-14 of the N-terminal tail of the histone H3 molecule covalently binds to thymine residue of DNA. This type of UV-crosslinking is most probably the only type for histone H3 and, possibly, for H1.

Animals↗

Contributions of linker histones and histone H3 to chromatin structure: scanning force microscopy studies on trypsinized fibers.

Little is known about the mechanisms that organize linear arrays of nucleosomes into the three-dimensional structures of extended and condensed chromatin fibers. We have earlier defined, from scanning force microscopy (SFM) and mathematical modeling, a set of simple structural determinants of extended fiber morphology, the critical parameters being the entry-exit angle between consecutive linkers and linker length. Here we study the contributions of the structural domains of the linker histones (LHs) and of the N-terminus of histone H3 to extended fiber morphology by SFM imaging of progressively trypsinized chromatin fibers. We find that cleavage of LH tails is associated with a lengthening of the internucleosomal center-to-center distance, and that the somewhat later cleavage of the N-terminus of histone H3 is associated with a flattening of the fiber. The persistence of the "zigzag" fiber morphology, even at the latest stages of trypsin digestion, can be attributed to the retention of the globular domain of LH in the fiber.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of a cDNA from a human histone H2B gene which is reciprocally expressed in relation to replication-dependent H2B histone genes during HL60 cell differentiation.

A variant human histone H2B cDNA (HHC289) has been cloned and characterized and shown to have a complex pattern of regulation with respect to the HeLa S3 cell cycle and HL60 cell differentiation. The H2B protein coding region of HHC289 is flanked at the 3' end by a 1798-nt nontranslated trailer that contains a region of hyphenated dyad symmetry and a poly(A) addition sequence, followed by a poly(A) tail. Nuclear run-on transcription analysis revealed a 2-fold increase in transcription of the HHC289 gene during S phase, in comparison to replication-dependent human histone genes which exhibit a 2-3-fold increase in transcription during S phase. Northern blot analysis indicated that the levels of the 2300-nt HHC289 mRNA species did not vary significantly during the HeLa S3 cell cycle, in comparison to replication-dependent H2B mRNAs which are elevated 15-fold during S phase. Northern blot analysis also revealed a reciprocal relationship during the onset of HL60 differentiation between the expression of the HHC289 H2B gene and the replication-dependent H2B genes. The levels of the 2300-nt HHC289 H2B species increased approximately 10-fold during HL60 cell differentiation whereas the levels of cell cycle dependent H2B mRNAs decreased to less than 1% of those in proliferating cells. These results suggest that complex transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms control cellular levels of mRNAs from various human H2B histone genes during progression through the cell cycle and at the onset of differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Interactions of nickel(II) with histones. Stability and solution structure of complexes with CH3CO-Cys-Ala-Ile-His-NH2, a putative metal binding sequence of histone H3.

Nickel(II) compounds are established human carcinogens, but the molecular mechanisms underlying their activity are only partially known. One mechanism may include mediation by nickel of promutagenic oxidative DNA damage that depends on Ni(II) binding to chromatin. To characterize such binding at the histone moiety of chromatin, we synthesized the peptide CH3CO-Cys-Ala-Ile-His-NH2 (L), a model of the evolutionarily conserved motif in histone H3 with expected affinity for transition metals, and evaluated its reactivity toward Ni(II). Combined spectroscopic (UV/vis, CD, NMR) and potentiometric measurements showed that, at physiological pH, mixtures of Ni(II) and L yielded unusual macrochelate complexes, NiL and NiL2, in which the metal cation was bound through Cys and His side chains in a square-planar arrangement. Above pH 9, a NiH-3L complex was formed, structurally analogous to typical square-planar nickel complexes. These complexes are expected to catalyze oxidation reactions, and therefore, coordination of Ni(II) by the L motif in core histone H3 may be a key event in oxidative DNA base damage observed in the process of Ni(II)-induced carcinogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The characterization of a non-histone protein isolated from histone F1 preparations.

A non-histone protein was obtained by extraction of nuclei derived from rat liver or thymus or ascites-hepatoma cells with 5% (w/v) HClO(4). Separation from histone F1 was achieved by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified component P1 was characterized and the formation of complexes with histone F1 and polylysine was studied.

Amino Acids↗

Structure of a human histone cDNA: evidence that basally expressed histone genes have intervening sequences and encode polyadenylylated mRNAs.

We have isolated and sequenced full-length cDNA clones encoding the human basally expressed H3.3 histone from a human fibroblast cDNA library. Several features of this atypical cDNA distinguish it and its gene from the well-characterized cell-cycle regulated histone genes and their RNA transcripts. The H3.3 mRNA is approximately equal to 1200 bases long, contains unusually long 5' and 3' untranslated regions, and has a 3' polyadenylylated terminus. In addition, we have isolated and characterized a cDNA clone that is a precursor to the H3.3 mRNA and contains an intervening sequence interrupting its 5' untranslated region. Hybridization of subsegments of the cDNA to human genomic DNA reveals a complex multigene family. The differences in the structures of basal and cell-cycle histone genes suggest a model to explain the differences in their expression.

Base Sequence↗

Sea urchin early histone H2A modulator binding factor 1 is a positive transcription factor also for the early histone H3 gene.

To shed some light on the mechanisms involved in the coordinate regulation of the early histone gene set during sea urchin development, we tested the hypothesis that the upstream sequence element USE1, previously identified in the early H2A modulator, could also participate in the transcription of the early histone H3 gene. We found by DNAse I protection analysis and by competition in electrophoretic mobility-shift experiments that two sequence elements of the H3 promoter closely resembled the USE1-H2A sequence in their binding activity for nuclear factors from 64-cell stage embryos. These modulator binding factor 1 (MBF-1)-related factors seem to recognize the ACAGA motif that is conserved between the USE1-like sequences of both H2A and H3 promoters. In fact, excess oligonucleotide containing a mutated USE1-H2A element in which the ACAGA sequence was mutated to AGTCA failed to compete with the USE1 sites of both H2A and H3 genes for interaction with MBF-1. Finally, in vivo transcriptional analysis in both Xenopus and sea urchin showed that an excess of USE1-H2A element efficiently competed for the activity of the H3 promoter. From these results we conclude that MBF-1 is a transcription factor conserved between sea urchin and frog and that MBF-1 or related transcription factors are involved in the coordinate expression of both H2A and H3 early histone genes.

Animals↗

A mouse histone H1 variant, H1b, binds preferentially to a regulatory sequence within a mouse H3.2 replication-dependent histone gene.

H1 histones, found in all multicellular eukaryotes, associate with linker DNA between adjacent nucleosomes, presumably to keep the chromatin in a compact, helical state. The identification of multiple histone H1 subtypes in vertebrates suggests these proteins have specialized roles in chromatin organization and thus influence the regulation of gene expression in the multicellular organism. The mechanism by which the association of H1 with nucleosomal DNA is regulated is not completely understood, but affinity for different DNA sequences may play a role. Here we report that a specific H1 subtype in the mouse, namely H1b, selectively binds to a regulatory element within the protein-encoding sequence of a replication-dependent mouse H3.2 gene. We have previously shown that this coding region element, Omega, is the target of very specific interactions in vitro with another nuclear factor called the Omega factor. This element is required for normal gene expression in stably transfected rodent cells. The mouse H1b protein interacts poorly (100-fold lower affinity) with the comparable "Omega" sequence of a replication-independent mouse H3.3 gene. This H3.3 sequence differs at only 4 out of 22 nucleotide positions from the H3.2 sequence. Our findings raise the possibility that this H1b protein plays a specific role in regulation of expression of the replication-dependent histone gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗