RSF governs silent chromatin formation via histone H2Av replacement

PLoS Genet. 2008 Feb 29;4(2):e1000011. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000011.

Abstract

Human remodeling and spacing factor (RSF) consists of a heterodimer of Rsf-1 and hSNF2H, a counterpart of Drosophila ISWI. RSF possesses not only chromatin remodeling activity but also chromatin assembly activity in vitro. While no other single factor can execute the same activities as RSF, the biological significance of RSF remained unknown. To investigate the in vivo function of RSF, we generated a mutant allele of Drosophila Rsf-1 (dRsf-1). The dRsf-1 mutant behaved as a dominant suppressor of position effect variegation. In dRsf-1 mutant, the levels of histone H3K9 dimethylation and histone H2A variant H2Av were significantly reduced in an euchromatic region juxtaposed with heterochromatin. Furthermore, using both genetic and biochemical approaches, we demonstrate that dRsf-1 interacts with H2Av and the H2Av-exchanging machinery Tip60 complex. These results suggest that RSF contributes to histone H2Av replacement in the pathway of silent chromatin formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / chemistry
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromatin / genetics*
  • Chromatin / metabolism*
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / chemistry
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
  • Euchromatin / genetics
  • Euchromatin / metabolism
  • Gene Silencing
  • Genes, Insect
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Histones / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • RNA Splicing Factors
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Repressor Proteins / chemistry
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • DNA Primers
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Euchromatin
  • Histones
  • ISWI protein
  • RNA Splicing Factors
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • RSF1 protein, Drosophila
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases