PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Tao Wang AU - Yang Liu AU - Garrett Edwards AU - Daniel Krzizike AU - Hataichanok Scherman AU - Karolin Luger TI - The histone chaperone FACT modulates nucleosome structure by tethering its components AID - 10.26508/lsa.201800107 DP - 2018 Aug 01 TA - Life Science Alliance PG - e201800107 VI - 1 IP - 4 4099 - https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/1/4/e201800107.short 4100 - https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/1/4/e201800107.full SO - Life Sci. Alliance2018 Aug 01; 1 AB - Human FAcilitates Chromatin Transcription (hFACT) is a conserved histone chaperone that was originally described as a transcription elongation factor with potential nucleosome assembly functions. Here, we show that FACT has moderate tetrasome assembly activity but facilitates H2A–H2B deposition to form hexasomes and nucleosomes. In the process, FACT tethers components of the nucleosome through interactions with H2A–H2B, resulting in a defined intermediate complex comprising FACT, a histone hexamer, and DNA. Free DNA extending from the tetrasome then competes FACT off H2A–H2B, thereby promoting hexasome and nucleosome formation. Our studies provide mechanistic insight into how FACT may stabilize partial nucleosome structures during transcription or nucleosome assembly, seemingly facilitating both nucleosome disassembly and nucleosome assembly.