ZFP100, a component of the active U7 snRNP limiting for histone pre-mRNA processing, is required for entry into S phase

Metazoan replication-dependent histone mRNAs are the only eukaryotic mRNAs that are not polyadenylated. The cleavage of histone pre-mRNA to form the unique 3' end requires the U7 snRNP and the stem-loop binding protein (SLBP) that binds the 3' end of histone mRNA. U7 snRNP contains three novel proteins, Lsm10 and Lsm11, which are part of the core U7 Sm complex, and ZFP100, a Zn finger protein that helps stabilize binding of the U7 snRNP to the histone pre-mRNA by interacting with the SLBP/pre-mRNA complex. Using a reporter gene that encodes a green fluorescent protein mRNA ending in a histone 3' end and mimics histone gene expression, we demonstrate that ZFP100 is the limiting factor for histone pre-mRNA processing in vivo. The overexpression of Lsm10 and Lsm11 increases the cellular levels of U7 snRNP but has no effect on histone pre-mRNA processing, while increasing the amount of ZFP100 increases histone pre-mRNA processing but has no effect on U7 snRNP levels. We also show that knocking down the known components of U7 snRNP by RNA interference results in a reduction in cell growth and an unsuspected cell cycle arrest in early G(1), suggesting that active U7 snRNP is necessary to allow progression through G(1) phase to S phase.     

DNA repair factor APLF is a histone chaperone

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation plays a major role in DNA repair, where it regulates chromatin relaxation as one of the critical events in the repair process. However, the molecular mechanism by which poly(ADP-ribose) modulates chromatin remains poorly understood. Here we identify the poly(ADP-ribose)-regulated protein APLF as a DNA-damage-specific histone chaperone. APLF preferentially binds to the histone H3/H4 tetramer via its C-terminal acidic motif, which is homologous to the motif conserved in the histone chaperones of the NAP1L family (NAP1L motif). We further demonstrate that APLF exhibits histone chaperone activities in a manner that is dependent on its acidic domain and that the NAP1L motif is critical for the repair capacity of APLF in vivo. Finally, we identify structural analogs of APLF in lower eukaryotes with the ability to bind histones and localize to the sites of DNA-damage-induced poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. Collectively, these findings define the involvement of histone chaperones in poly(ADP-ribose)-regulated DNA repair reactions.     

Prothymosin α is a component of a linker histone chaperone

Linker histone H1 binds with high affinity to naked and nucleosomal DNA in vitro but is rapidly exchanged between chromatin sites in vivo suggesting the involvement of one or more linker histone chaperones. Using permeabilized cells, we demonstrate that the small acidic protein prothymosin α (ProTα) can facilitate H1 displacement from and deposition onto the native chromatin template. Depletion of ProTα levels in vivo by siRNA-mediated mRNA degradation resulted in a decreased rate of exchange of linker histones as assayed by photobleaching techniques. These results indicate that ProTα is a component of a linker histone chaperone.     

Testis-specific histone H1t is truly a testis-specific variant and not a meiotic-specific variant

Immunoblotting studies using highly specific polyclonal anti-histone H1t-IgG, which was extensively characterized by us previously, did not produce a signal with any of the histone H1 subtypes of either 1-day-old or adult rat ovarian nuclei. The absence of histone H1t in ovarian nuclei was also confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence studies. It is concluded, therefore, that histone H1t is truly a testis-specific histone variant and not a meiotic-specific variant.     

Disruptor of telomeric silencing-1 is a chromatin-specific histone H3 methyltransferase

Yeast disruptor of telomeric silencing-1 (DOT1) is involved in gene silencing and in the pachytene checkpoint during meiotic cell cycle. Here we show that the Dot1 protein possesses intrinsic histone methyltransferase (HMT) activity. When compared with Rmt1, another putative yeast HMT, Dot1 shows very distinct substrate specificity. While Rmt1 methylates histone H4, Dot1 targets histone H3. In contrast to Rmt1, which can only modify free histones, Dot1 activity is specific to nucleosomal substrates. This was also confirmed using native chromatin purified from yeast cells. We also demonstrate that, like its mammalian homolog PRMT1, Rmt1 specifically dimethylates an arginine residue at position 3 of histone H4 N-terminal tail. In surprising contrast, methylation by Dot1 occurs in the globular domain of nucleosomal histone H3. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis suggests that H3 lysine 79 is trimethylated by Dot1. The intrinsic nucleosomal histone H3 methyltransferase activity of Dot1 is certainly a key aspect of its function in gene silencing at telomeres, most likely by directly modulating chromatin structure and Sir protein localization. In agreement with a role in regulating localization of histone deacetylase complexes like SIR, an increase of bulk histone acetylation is detected in dot1- cells.     

The multifunctional protein nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a human linker histone H1 chaperone

Linker histone H1 plays an essential role in chromatin organization. Proper deposition of linker histone H1 as well as its removal is essential for chromatin dynamics and function. Linker histone chaperones perform this important task during chromatin assembly and other DNA-templated phenomena in the cell. Our in vitro data show that the multifunctional histone chaperone NPM1 interacts with linker histone H1 through its first acidic stretch (residues 120-132). Association of NPM1 with linker histone H1 was also observed in cells in culture. NPM1 exhibited remarkable linker histone H1 chaperone activity, as it was able to efficiently deposit histone H1 onto dinucleosomal templates. Overexpression of NPM1 reduced the histone H1 occupancy on the chromatinized template of HIV-1 LTR in TZM-bl cells, which led to enhanced Tat-mediated transactivation. These data identify NPM1 as an important member of the linker histone chaperone family in humans.     

Translation termination is involved in histone mRNA degradation when DNA replication is inhibited

The levels of replication-dependent histone mRNAs are coordinately regulated with DNA synthesis. A major regulatory step in histone mRNA metabolism is regulation of the half-life of histone mRNAs. Replication-dependent histone mRNAs are the only metazoan mRNAs that are not polyadenylated. Instead, they end with a conserved stem-loop structure, which is recognized by the stem-loop binding protein (SLBP). SLBP is required for histone mRNA processing, as well as translation. We show here, using histone mRNAs whose translation can be regulated by the iron response element, that histone mRNAs need to be actively translated for their rapid degradation following the inhibition of DNA synthesis. We also demonstrate the requirement for translation using a mutant SLBP which is inactive in translation. Histone mRNAs are not rapidly degraded when DNA synthesis is inhibited or at the end of S phase in cells expressing this mutant SLBP. Replication-dependent histone mRNAs have very short 3' untranslated regions, with the stem-loop located 30 to 70 nucleotides downstream of the translation termination codon. We show here that the stability of histone mRNAs can be modified by altering the position of the stem-loop, thereby changing the distance from the translation termination codon.     

Nuclear factor 1 is a component of the nuclear matrix

Chicken histone H5 is an H1-like linker histone that is expressed only in nucleated erythrocytes. The histone H5 promoter has binding sites for Sp1 (a high affinity site) and UPE-binding protein, while the 3′ erythroid-specific enhancer has binding sites for Sp1 (one moderate and three weak affinity), GATA-1, and NF1. In this study we investigated whether trans-acting factors that bind to the chicken histone H5 promoter or enhancer are associated with adult chicken immature and mature erythrocyte nuclear matrices. We show that NF1, but not Sp1, GATA-1, or UPE-binding protein, is associated with the internal nuclear matrices of these erythroid cells. Further, we found that a subset of the NF1 family of proteins is bound to the mature erythrocyte nuclear matrix. These results suggest that in chicken erythrocytes NF1 may mediate an interaction between the histone H5 enhancer and the erythroid internal nuclear matrix. NF1 was also present in the internal nuclear matrices of chicken liver and trout liver. The observations of this study provide evidence that NF1 may have a role in a variety of cell types in targeting specific DNA sequences to the nuclear matrix. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Phosphorylation of adrenal histone H3 is affected by angiotensin, ACTH, dibutyryl cAMP, and atrial natriuretic peptide

Angiotensin (AII) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) exert opposite effects on phosphorylation of a 17.6 kDa nuclear protein from bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. The protein was separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis and blotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride, and the N-terminal sequence was obtained. This sequence corresponded to histone H3. Another polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system was used to confirm that AII stimulated the phosphorylation of histone H3. ACTH[1-24] stimulated phosphorylation of the same protein. Dibutyryl cAMP stimulated phosphorylation of a 17.6-kDa protein, and two gel electrophoresis systems confirmed that the protein affected was histone H3. In situ peptide mapping using papain, of either purified standard histone H3 or of the adrenal 17.6-kDa protein, produced the same major fragment as observed by silver staining. Therefore, the 17.6-kDa protein that is affected by AII, ANP, ACTH, and dibutyryl cAMP is histone H3. This finding suggests that in addition to their mutually antagonistic effects on acute steroidogenesis, AII and ANP may exert opposite effects on adrenal cell functions involving the nucleus.     

SLBP is associated with histone mRNA on polyribosomes as a component of the histone mRNP

The stem–loop binding protein (SLBP) binds the 3′ end of histone mRNA and is present both in nucleus, and in the cytoplasm on the polyribosomes. SLBP participates in the processing of the histone pre-mRNA and in translation of the mature message. Histone mRNAs are rapidly degraded when cells are treated with inhibitors of DNA replication and are stabilized by inhibitors of translation, resulting in an increase in histone mRNA levels. Here, we show that SLBP is a component of the histone messenger ribonucleoprotein particle (mRNP). Histone mRNA from polyribosomes is immunoprecipitated with anti-SLBP. Most of the SLBP in cycloheximide-treated cells is present on polyribosomes as a result of continued synthesis and transport of the histone mRNP to the cytoplasm. When cells are treated with inhibitors of DNA replication, histone mRNAs are rapidly degraded but SLBP levels remain constant and SLBP is relocalized to the nucleus. SLBP remains active both in RNA binding and histone pre-mRNA processing when DNA replication is inhibited.     

LOX out, histones: a new enzyme is nipping at your tails

In the current issue of Molecular Cell, Herranz et al. (2012) demonstrate that LOXL2 deaminates trimethylated histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3), which uncovers a new chromatin modification and a new enzymatic mechanism with the potential to regulate additional lysine residues.     

Ser-10 phosphorylated histone H3 is involved in cytokinesis as a chromosomal passenger

Ser-10 phosphorylation of histone H3 is revealed to be relative to chromosome condensation at prophase during mitosis. In this report, we demonstrate using immunofluorescence microscopy that the subcellular distribution of the Ser-10 phosphorylated histone H3 was similar to that characteristic of chromosomal passenger proteins during the terminal stages of cytokinesis. Co-immunoprecipitation indicates that the Ser-10 phosphorylated histone H3 is associated with the aurora B, and both of the proteins were compacted into a complex with special ternary structure located in the centre of the midbody. When the level of the Ser-10 phosphorylated histone H3 was reduced by RNA interference, the cells formed an aberrant midbody and could not complete cytokinesis successfully. This evidence suggests that Ser-10 phosphorylated histone H3 is a chromosomal passenger protein and plays a crucial role in cytokinesis.     

Histone demethylation catalysed by LSD1 is a flavin-dependent oxidative process

Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a very recently discovered enzyme which specifically removes methyl groups from Lys4 of histone 3. We have addressed the functional properties of the protein demonstrating that histone demethylation involves the flavin-catalysed oxidation of the methylated lysine. The nature of the substrate that acts as the electron acceptor required to complete the catalytic cycle was investigated. LSD1 converts oxygen to hydrogen peroxide although this reactivity is not as pronounced as that of other flavin-dependent oxidases. Our findings raise the possibility that in vivo LSD1 might not necessarily function as an oxidase, but it might use alternative electron acceptors.