Rad6-dependent ubiquitination of histone H2B in yeast

Ubiquitin and assembly of export competent mRNP

The production of mature and export competent mRNP (mRNA ribonucleoprotein) complexes depends on a series of highly coordinated processing reactions. RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) plays a central role in this process by mediating the sequential recruitment of mRNA maturation and export factors to transcribing genes, thereby establishing a strong functional link between transcription and export through nuclear pore complexes (NPC). Growing evidence indicates that post-translational modifications participate in the dynamic association of processing and export factors with mRNAs ensuring that the transitions and rearrangements undergone by the mRNP occur at the right time and place. This review mainly focuses on the role of ubiquitin conjugation in controlling mRNP assembly and quality control from transcription down to export through the NPC. It emphasizes the central role of ubiquitylation in organizing the chronology of events along this highly dynamic pathway. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nuclear Transport and RNA Processing.

Cellular strategies for making monoubiquitin signals

Post-translational modification of proteins with ubiquitin regulates a variety of eukaryotic cellular processes. Ubiquitin can be conjugated to substrates either as a single moiety (monoubiquitination) or as isopeptide bond-linked chains (polyubiquitination), creating an array of ubiquitin signals. It has been established that monoubiquitination can serve important functions in many biological processes such as the regulation of gene transcription, protein trafficking, and DNA repair. Surprisingly, little is known about the mechanisms by which monoubiquitin signals are produced in the cell. Here, we discuss the potential cellular strategies for generating monoubiquitinated proteins using a few, relatively well characterized examples of monoubiquitinated proteins. These strategies include coupling ubiquitination to low affinity ubiquitin binding, using monoubiquitination-dedicated E2 conjugating enzymes, and restricting ubiquitin chain elongation. Some of these principles may be applicable to protein modifications involving ubiquitin like proteins (UBLs), which often occur in monomeric form.

Sites of ubiquitin attachment in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sites of ubiquitin modification have been identified by mass spectrometry based on the increase in molecular mass of a tryptic peptide carrying two additional glycine residues from the ubiquitin moiety. However, such peptides with GG shifts have been difficult to discover. We identify 870 unique sites of ubiquitin attachment on 438 different proteins of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genome-wide function of H2B ubiquitylation in promoter and genic regions

Nucleosomal organization in and around genes may contribute substantially to transcriptional regulation. The contribution of histone modifications to genome-wide nucleosomal organization has not been systematically evaluated. In the present study, we examine the role of H2BK123 ubiquitylation, a key regulator of several histone modifications, on nucleosomal organization at promoter, genic, and transcription termination regions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using high-resolution MNase chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq), we map nucleosome positioning and occupancy in mutants of the H2BK123 ubiquitylation pathway. We found that H2B ubiquitylation-mediated nucleosome formation and/or stability inhibits the assembly of the transcription machinery at normally quiescent promoters, whereas ubiquitylation within highly active gene bodies promotes transcription elongation. This regulation does not proceed through ubiquitylation-regulated histone marks at H3K4, K36, and K79. Our findings suggest that mechanistically similar functions of H2B ubiquitylation (nucleosome assembly) elicit different functional outcomes on genes depending on its positional context in promoters (repressive) versus transcribed regions (activating).

Chromatin structure following UV-induced DNA damage-repair or death?

In eukaryotes, DNA is compacted into a complex structure known as chromatin. The unravelling of DNA is a crucial step in DNA repair, replication, transcription and recombination as this allows access to DNA for these processes. Failure to package DNA into the nucleosome, the individual unit of chromatin, can lead to genomic instability, driving a cell into apoptosis, senescence, or cellular proliferation. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage causes destabilisation of chromatin integrity. UV irradiation induces DNA damage such as photolesions and subjects the chromatin to substantial rearrangements, causing the arrest of transcription forks and cell cycle arrest. Highly conserved processes known as nucleotide and base excision repair (NER and BER) then begin to repair these lesions. However, if DNA repair fails, the cell may be forced into apoptosis. The modification of various histones as well as nucleosome remodelling via ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes are required not only to repair these UV-induced DNA lesions, but also for apoptosis signalling. Histone modifications and nucleosome remodelling in response to UV also lead to the recruitment of various repair and pro-apoptotic proteins. Thus, the way in which a cell responds to UV irradiation via these modifications is important in determining its fate. Failure of these DNA damage response steps can lead to cellular proliferation and oncogenic development, causing skin cancer, hence these chromatin changes are critical for a proper response to UV-induced injury.

The Roles of the Paf1 Complex and Associated Histone Modifications in Regulating Gene Expression

The conserved Paf1 complex (Paf1C) carries out multiple functions during transcription by RNA polymerase (pol) II, and these functions are required for the proper expression of numerous genes in yeast and metazoans. In the elongation stage of the transcription cycle, the Paf1C associates with RNA pol II, interacts with other transcription elongation factors, and facilitates modifications to the chromatin template. At the end of elongation, the Paf1C plays an important role in the termination of RNA pol II transcripts and the recruitment of proteins required for proper RNA 3′ end formation. Significantly, defects in the Paf1C are associated with several human diseases. In this paper, we summarize current knowledge on the roles of the Paf1C in RNA pol II transcription.

A chemical-genetic screen to unravel the genetic network of CDC28/CDK1 links ubiquitin and Rad6-Bre1 to cell cycle progression

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) control the eukaryotic cell cycle, and a single CDK, Cdc28 (also known as Cdk1), is necessary and sufficient for cell cycle regulation in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cdc28 regulates cell cycle-dependent processes such as transcription, DNA replication and repair, and chromosome segregation. To gain further insight into the functions of Cdc28, we performed a high-throughput chemical-genetic array (CGA) screen aimed at unraveling the genetic network of CDC28. We identified 107 genes that strongly genetically interact with CDC28. Although these genes serve multiple cellular functions, genes involved in cell cycle regulation, transcription, and chromosome metabolism were overrepresented. DOA1, which is involved in maintaining free ubiquitin levels, as well as the RAD6-BRE1 pathway, which is involved in transcription, displayed particularly strong genetic interactions with CDC28. We discovered that DOA1 is important for cell cycle entry by supplying ubiquitin. Furthermore, we found that the RAD6-BRE1 pathway functions downstream of DOA1/ubiquitin but upstream of CDC28, by promoting transcription of cyclins. These results link cellular ubiquitin levels and the Rad6-Bre1 pathway to cell cycle progression.

Chromatin signaling to kinetochores: transregulation of Dam1 methylation by histone H2B ubiquitination

Histone H3K4 trimethylation by the Set1/MLL family of proteins provides a hallmark for transcriptional activity from yeast to humans. In S. cerevisiae, H3K4 methylation is mediated by the Set1-containing COMPASS complex and is regulated in trans by prior ubiquitination of histone H2BK123. All of the events that regulate H2BK123ub and H3K4me are thought to occur at gene promoters. Here we report that this pathway is indispensable for methylation of the only other known substrate of Set1, K233 in Dam1, at kinetochores. Deletion of RAD6, BRE1, or Paf1 complex members abolishes Dam1 methylation, as does mutation of H2BK123. Our results demonstrate that Set1-mediated methylation is regulated by a general pathway regardless of substrate that is composed of transcriptional regulatory factors functioning independently of transcription. Moreover, our data identify a node of regulatory crosstalk in trans between a histone modification and modification on a nonhistone protein, demonstrating that changing chromatin states can signal functional changes in other essential cellular proteins and machineries.

Roles of ubiquitin signaling in transcription regulation

Rivaling or cooperating with other post-translational modifications, ubiquitination plays central roles in regulating numerous cellular processes. Not surprisingly, gain- or loss-of-function mutations in several components of the ubiquitin system are causally linked to human pathologies including cancer. The covalent attachment of ubiquitin to target proteins occurs in sequential steps and involves ubiquitin ligases (E3s) which are the most abundant enzymes of the ubiquitin system. Although often associated with proteasomal degradation, ubiquitination is also involved in regulatory events in a proteasome-independent manner. Moreover, ubiquitination is reversible and specific proteases, termed deubiquitinases (DUBs), remove ubiquitin from protein substrates. While we now appreciate the importance of ubiquitin signaling in coordinating a plethora of physio-pathological processes, the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. This review summarizes current findings on the critical functions exerted by E3s and DUBs in transcriptional control, particularly chromatin remodeling and transcription initiation/elongation.

Flickin' the ubiquitin switch: the role of H2B ubiquitylation in development

The reversible ubiquitylation of histone H2B has long been implicated in transcriptional activation and gene silencing. However, many questions regarding its regulation and effects on chromatin structure remain unanswered. In addition, while several studies have uncovered an involvement of this modification in the control of certain developmental processes, a more general understanding of its requirement is lacking. Herein, we present a broad overview of the pathways known to be regulated by H2B ubiquitylation, while drawing parallels between findings in disparate organisms, in order to facilitate continued delineation of its spatiotemporal role in development. Finally, we integrate the findings of recent studies into how H2B ubiquitylation affects chromatin, and cast an eye over emerging areas for future research.

Ubiquitin family modifications and template switching

Homologous recombination plays an important role in the maintenance of genome integrity. Arrested forks and DNA lesions trigger strand annealing events, called template switching, which can provide for accurate damage bypass, but can also lead to chromosome rearrangements. Advances have been made in understanding the underlying mechanisms for these events and in elucidating the factors involved. Ubiquitin- and SUMO-mediated modification pathways have emerged as key players in regulating damage-induced template switching. Here I review the biological significance of template switching at the nexus of DNA replication and recombination, and the role of ubiquitin-like modifications in mediating and controlling this process.

The diverse functions of Dot1 and H3K79 methylation

DOT1 (disruptor of telomeric silencing; also called Kmt4) was initially discovered in budding yeast in a genetic screen for genes whose deletion confers defects in telomeric silencing. Since the discovery ∼10 years ago that Dot1 and its mammalian homolog, DOT1L (DOT1-Like), possess histone methyltransferase activity toward histone H3 Lys 79, great progress has been made in characterizing their enzymatic activities and the role of Dot1/DOT1L-mediated H3K79 methylation in transcriptional regulation, cell cycle regulation, and the DNA damage response. In addition, gene disruption in mice has revealed that mouse DOT1L plays an essential role in embryonic development, hematopoiesis, cardiac function, and the development of leukemia. The involvement of DOT1L enzymatic activity in leukemogenesis driven by a subset of MLL (mixed-lineage leukemia) fusion proteins raises the possibility of targeting DOT1L for therapeutic intervention.

Recent transcription-induced histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation inhibits gene reactivation

Recent transcription of GAL genes transiently leaves an H3K4 methylation mark at their promoters, providing an epigenetic memory for the recent transcriptional activity. However, the physiological significance of this mark is enigmatic. In our study, we show that the transient H3K4 di- and trimethylation at recently transcribed GAL1 inhibited the reinduction of GAL1. The H3K4 methylation functioned by recruiting the Isw1 ATPase onto GAL1 and thereby limiting the action of RNA polymerase II during GAL1 reactivation. Strikingly, the H3K4 methylation was also observed at the promoters of inositol- and fatty acid-responsive genes after recent transcription and played a negative role in their reinduction. Taken together, our data present a new mechanism by which H3K4 methylation regulates gene transcription.

Acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase I (Lpcat1) catalyzes histone protein O-palmitoylation to regulate mRNA synthesis

The enzyme acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (Lpcat1) is a critical cytosolic enzyme needed for lung surfactant synthesis that catalyzes an acyltransferase reaction by adding a palmitate to the sn-2 position of lysophospholipids. Here we report that histone H4 protein is subject to palmitoylation catalyzed by Lpcat1 in a calcium-regulated manner. Cytosolic Lpcat1 was observed to shift into the nucleus in lung epithelia in response to exogenous Ca(2+). Nuclear Lpcat1 colocalizes with and binds to histone H4, where it catalyzes histone H4 palmitoylation. Mutagenesis studies demonstrated that Ser(47) within histone H4 serves as a putative acceptor site, indicative of Lpcat1-mediated O-palmitoylation. Lpcat1 knockdown or expression of a histone H4 Ser(47A) mutant protein in cells decreased cellular mRNA synthesis. These findings provide the first evidence of a protein substrate for Lpcat1 and reveal that histone lipidation may occur through its O-palmitoylation as a novel post-translational modification. This epigenetic modification regulates global gene transcriptional activity.

The C-terminus of histone H2B is involved in chromatin compaction specifically at telomeres, independently of its monoubiquitylation at lysine 123

Telomeric heterochromatin assembly in budding yeast propagates through the association of Silent Information Regulator (SIR) proteins with nucleosomes, and the nucleosome array has been assumed to fold into a compacted structure. It is believed that the level of compaction and gene repression within heterochromatic regions can be modulated by histone modifications, such as acetylation of H3 lysine 56 and H4 lysine 16, and monoubiquitylation of H2B lysine 123. However, it remains unclear as to whether or not gene silencing is a direct consequence of the compaction of chromatin. Here, by investigating the role of the carboxy-terminus of histone H2B in heterochromatin formation, we identify that the disorderly compaction of chromatin induced by a mutation at H2B T122 specifically hinders telomeric heterochromatin formation. H2B T122 is positioned within the highly conserved AVTKY motif of the αC helix of H2B. Heterochromatin containing the T122E substitution in H2B remains inaccessible to ectopic dam methylase with dramatically increased mobility in sucrose gradients, indicating a compacted chromatin structure. Genetic studies indicate that this unique phenotype is independent of H2B K123 ubiquitylation and Sir4. In addition, using ChIP analysis, we demonstrate that telomere structure in the mutant is further disrupted by a defect in Sir2/Sir3 binding and the resulting invasion of euchromatic histone marks. Thus, we have revealed that the compaction of chromatin per se is not sufficient for heterochromatin formation. Instead, these results suggest that an appropriately arrayed chromatin mediated by H2B C-terminus is required for SIR binding and the subsequent formation of telomeric chromatin in yeast, thereby identifying an intrinsic property of the nucleosome that is required for the establishment of telomeric heterochromatin. This requirement is also likely to exist in higher eukaryotes, as the AVTKY motif of H2B is evolutionarily conserved.

Key features of the two-intron Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene SUS1 contribute to its alternative splicing

Alternative pre-mRNA splicing allows dramatic expansion of the eukaryotic proteome and facilitates cellular response to changes in environmental conditions. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene SUS1, which encodes a protein involved in mRNA export and histone H2B deubiquitination, contains two introns; non-canonical sequences in the first intron contribute to its retention, a common form of alternative splicing in plants and fungi. Here we show that the pattern of SUS1 splicing changes in response to environmental change such as temperature elevation, and the retained intron product is subject to nonsense-mediated decay. The activities of different splicing factors determine the pattern of SUS1 splicing, including intron retention and exon skipping. Unexpectedly, removal of the 3′ intron is affected by splicing of the upstream intron, suggesting that cross-exon interactions influence intron removal. Production of different SUS1 isoforms is important for cellular function, as we find that the temperature sensitivity and histone H2B deubiquitination defects observed in sus1Δ cells are only partially suppressed by SUS1 cDNA, but SUS1 that is able to undergo splicing complements these phenotypes. These data illustrate a role for S. cerevisiae alternative splicing in histone modification and cellular function and reveal important mechanisms for splicing of yeast genes containing multiple introns.

The RING finger protein MSL2 in the MOF complex is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for H2B K34 and is involved in crosstalk with H3 K4 and K79 methylation

We demonstrate that RING finger protein MSL2 in the MOF-MSL complex is a histone ubiquitin E3 ligase. MSL2, together with MSL1, has robust histone ubiquitylation activity that mainly targets nucleosomal H2B on lysine 34 (H2B K34ub), a site within a conserved basic patch on H2B tail. H2B K34ub by MSL1/2 directly regulates H3 K4 and K79 methylation through trans-tail crosstalk both in vitro and in cells. The significance of MSL1/2-mediated histone H2B ubiquitylation is underscored by the facts that MSL1/2 activity is important for transcription activation at HOXA9 and MEIS1 loci and that this activity is evolutionarily conserved in the Drosophila dosage compensation complex. Altogether, these results indicate that the MOF-MSL complex possesses two distinct chromatin-modifying activities (i.e., H4 K16 acetylation and H2B K34 ubiquitylation) through MOF and MSL2 subunits. They also shed light on how an intricate network of chromatin-modifying enzymes functions coordinately in gene activation.

Purification of histone ubiquitin ligases from HeLa cells

Posttranslational histone modifications play an important role in regulating chromatin based nuclear processes including transcription. Of these modifications, histone ubiquitination is among the least understood. Histone ubiquitination predominately targets histones H2A and H2B. While ubiquitination of H2B is evolutionarily conserved from budding yeast to mammals, ubiquitination of H2A has not been detected in budding yeast, worms, or plants. Until recently, studies of histone ubiquitination lagged far behind the study of other histone modifications, largely because antibodies specific for ubiquitinated histones are difficult to generate. Despite this obstacle, the identification of the enzymatic machineries involved in histone ubiquitination, together with the successful use of a combination of genetic and immunoblot approaches to detect ubiquitinated histones, have helped to reveal important regulatory roles for this modification in transcriptional initiation and elongation, cell cycle progression, and DNA damage response. With the aid of the recently developed ubiquitinated histone-specific antibodies, an intriguing link between histone ubiquitination and cancer development has been established. While the enzymes involved in H2B ubiquitination were identified first in budding yeast and subsequently in higher organisms based on gene homology, the identification of the enzymatic machineries involved in H2A ubiquitination largely depended on a biochemical purification approach. The unbiased search for ubiquitin ligases targeting histones also led to the identification of a H3 and H4 ubiquitin ligase. Here we detail a protocol for the biochemical approach to identify histone ubiquitin ligase(s) from HeLa cells. Similar approaches have been successfully used to identify histone methyltransferases, histone demethylases, chromatin remodeling factors, and general transcription factors. So long as an in vitro enzymatic assay can be established, the approach we describe can be easily adapted to identify other histone and non-histone modifying enzymes.

Detection and characterization of ubiquitylated H2B in mammalian cells

Histone H2B ubiquitylation was shown to be associated with actively transcribed genes in mammalian cells and has been suggested to be involved in transcriptional regulation. Despite the limited applicability of genetic tools to analyze H2B ubiquitylation in mammals, several biochemical and immunological approaches have been successfully implemented to study this modification. Here we describe several techniques to detect ubiquitylated H2B in mammalian cells and to dissect its genomic localization.

Nucleosomal H2B ubiquitylation with purified factors

Diverse histone modifications play important roles in transcriptional regulation throughout eukaryotes, and recent studies have implicated histone H2B ubiquitylation in active transcription. The necessity of at least three enzymes (E1-E3), as well as ongoing transcription events, for efficient H2B ubiquitylation complicates mechanistic studies of H2B ubiquitylation relative to other histone modifications. Here we describe experimental protocols for preparation of human H2B ubiquitylation factors, ubiquitylation substrates and transcription factors, as well as the use of these factors to establish H2B ubiquitylation mechanisms during transcription. The methods include reliable protein interaction and E3 ubiquitylation assays that can be widely applied to confirm cognate E2-E3 pairs in other protein ubiquitylation systems, optimized in vitro ubiquitylation assays for various histone substrates, and a transcription-coupled H2B ubiquitylation assay in a highly purified transcription system. These comprehensive analyses have revealed (i) that RAD6 serves as the cognate E2 for the BRE1 complex in human cells, as previously established in yeast, (ii) that RAD6, through direct interaction with the BRE1 complex, ubiquitylates chromatinized H2B at lysine 120 and (iii) that PAF1 complex-mediated transcription is required for efficient H2B ubiquitylation. This experimental system permits detailed mechanistic analyses of H2B ubiquitylation during transcription by providing information concerning both precise enzyme functions and physical interactions between the transcription and histone modification machineries.

A genetic and molecular toolbox for analyzing histone ubiquitylation and sumoylation in yeast

Combinations of phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, ubiquitylation, and sumoylation of histones comprise what is referred to as the "histone code". These marks influence processes from transcription to DNA replication, where gaining access to DNA organized in chromatin is necessary. Much emphasis has been placed on the role of histone ubiquitylation and sumoylation during the process of transcription. Histone H2B is monoubiquitylated at lysine 123 in budding yeast and influences gene activation. All four of the core histones are sumoylated on their amino terminal tails in this organism, and this serves to negatively regulate gene expression. Because antibodies specific for ubiquitylated or sumoylated yeast histones are not commercially available, and these marks are highly sensitive to proteolysis in native cell extracts, special genetic and molecular tools have been developed to monitor these dynamic and often rare modifications in vivo. Here, we describe some of these tools, with emphasis on how they can be used for transcriptional studies.

Decoding the trans-histone crosstalk: methods to analyze H2B ubiquitination, H3 methylation and their regulatory factors

Regulation of histone H3 lysine 4 and 79 methylation by histone H2B lysine 123 monoubiquitination is an evolutionarily conserved trans-histone crosstalk mechanism, which demonstrates a functional role for histone ubiquitination within the cell. The regulatory enzymes, factors and processes involved in the establishment and dynamic modulation of these modifications and their genome-wide distribution patterns have been determined in many model systems. Rapid progress in understanding this trans-histone crosstalk has been made using the standard experimental tools of chromatin biology in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a highly tractable model organism. Here, we provide a set of modified and refined experimental procedures that can be used to gain further insights into the underlying mechanisms that govern this crosstalk in budding yeast. Importantly, the improved procedures and their underlying principles can also be applied to other model organisms. Methods presented here provide a rapid and efficient means to prepare enriched protein extracts to better preserve and assess the steady state levels of histones, non-histone proteins and their modifications. Improved chromatin immunoprecipitation and double immunoprecipitation protocols are provided to measure the occupancy and distribution of proteins and their modified forms at specific chromatin regions or loci. A quick and easy method to measure overall protein abundance and changes in protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions on native chromatin is also described.

Histone H2B ubiquitylation and H3 lysine 4 methylation prevent ectopic silencing of euchromatic loci important for the cellular response to heat

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ubiquitylation of histone H2B signals methylation of histone H3 at lysine residues 4 (K4) and 79. These modifications occur at active genes but are believed to stabilize silent chromatin by limiting movement of silencing proteins away from heterochromatin domains. In the course of studying atypical phenotypes associated with loss of H2B ubiquitylation/H3K4 methylation, we discovered that these modifications are also required for cell wall integrity at high temperatures. We identified the silencing protein Sir4 as a dosage suppressor of loss of H2B ubiquitylation, and we showed that elevated Sir4 expression suppresses cell wall integrity defects by inhibiting the function of the Sir silencing complex. Using comparative transcriptome analysis, we identified a set of euchromatic genes-enriched in those required for the cellular response to heat-whose expression is attenuated by loss of H2B ubiquitylation but restored by disruption of Sir function. Finally, using DNA adenine methyltransferase identification, we found that Sir3 and Sir4 associate with genes that are silenced in the absence of H3K4 methylation. Our data reveal that H2B ubiquitylation/H3K4 methylation play an important role in limiting ectopic association of silencing proteins with euchromatic genes important for cell wall integrity and the response to heat.

Altered testicular gene expression patterns in mice lacking the polyubiquitin gene Ubb

Ubiquitin (Ub) is an essential protein found in all eukaryotic cells and plays important roles in a variety of cellular functions including germ cell development. We have previously reported that targeted disruption of the polyubiquitin gene Ubb results in male and female infertility in Ubb(-/-) mice, with germ cells arrested at meiotic prophase I. Although reduced Ub levels in germ cells are believed to be responsible for the fertility defect in Ubb(-/-) mice, it is still unclear how reduced Ub levels result in sterility. Here we describe the results of a microarray analysis of the murine testicular transcriptome, which demonstrates dramatically altered gene expression patterns in Ubb(-/-) mice, possibly related to reduced levels of histone 2A (H2A) ubiquitylation. We find that large numbers of genes related to fertility, metabolism, transcription, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are misregulated in Ubb(-/-) mice. Such wide-ranging alterations in gene expression suggest that loss of the Ubb gene does not mimic a single-gene defect phenotype, but instead may affect gene expression more globally. These dramatic changes in gene expression could, at least in part, contribute to the complex fertility and metabolic phenotypes seen in these mice.

RNF20 inhibits TFIIS-facilitated transcriptional elongation to suppress pro-oncogenic gene expression

hBRE1/RNF20 is the major E3 ubiquitin ligase for histone H2B. RNF20 depletion causes a global reduction of monoubiquitylated H2B (H2Bub) levels and augments the expression of growth-promoting, pro-oncogenic genes. Those genes reside preferentially in compact chromatin and are inefficiently transcribed under basal conditions. We now report that RNF20, presumably via H2Bub, selectively represses those genes by interfering with chromatin recruitment of TFIIS, a factor capable of relieving stalled RNA polymerase II. RNF20 inhibits the interaction between TFIIS and the PAF1 complex and hinders transcriptional elongation. TFIIS ablation selectively abolishes the upregulation of those genes upon RNF20 depletion and attenuates the cellular response to EGF. Consistent with its positive role in transcription of pro-oncogenic genes, TFIIS expression is elevated in various human tumors. Our findings provide a molecular mechanism for selective gene repression by RNF20 and position TFIIS as a key target of RNF20's tumor suppressor activity.

The specificity and topology of chromatin interaction pathways in yeast

Packaging of DNA into chromatin has a profound impact on gene expression. To understand how changes in chromatin influence transcription, we analyzed 165 mutants of chromatin machinery components in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. mRNA expression patterns change in 80% of mutants, always with specific effects, even for loss of widespread histone marks. The data are assembled into a network of chromatin interaction pathways. The network is function based, has a branched, interconnected topology, and lacks strict one-to-one relationships between complexes. Chromatin pathways are not separate entities for different gene sets, but share many components. The study evaluates which interactions are important for which genes and predicts additional interactions, for example between Paf1C and Set3C, as well as a role for Mediator in subtelomeric silencing. The results indicate the presence of gene-dependent effects that go beyond context-dependent binding of chromatin factors and provide a framework for understanding how specificity is achieved through regulating chromatin.

WAC, a functional partner of RNF20/40, regulates histone H2B ubiquitination and gene transcription

Histone H2B ubiquitination plays an important role in regulating chromatin organization during gene transcription. It has been shown that RNF20/40 regulates H2B ubiquitination. Here, using protein affinity purification, we have identified WAC as a functional partner of RNF20/40. Depletion of WAC abolishes H2B ubiquitination. WAC interacts with RNF20/40 through its C-terminal coiled-coil region and promotes RNF20/40 s E3 ligase activity for H2B ubiquitination. The N-terminal WW domain of WAC recognizes RNA polymerase II. During gene transcription, WAC targets RNF20/40 to associate with RNA polymerase II complex for H2B ubiquitination at active transcription sites, which regulates transcription. Moreover, WAC-dependent transcription is important for cell-cycle checkpoint activation in response to genotoxic stress. Taken together, our results demonstrate an important regulator for transcription-coupled histone H2B ubiquitination.

Histone H2B ubiquitylation disrupts local and higher-order chromatin compaction

Regulation of chromatin structure involves histone posttranslational modifications that can modulate intrinsic properties of the chromatin fiber to change the chromatin state. We used chemically defined nucleosome arrays to demonstrate that H2B ubiquitylation (uH2B), a modification associated with transcription, interferes with chromatin compaction and leads to an open and biochemically accessible fiber conformation. Notably, these effects were specific for ubiquitin, as compaction of chromatin modified with a similar ubiquitin-sized protein, Hub1, was only weakly affected. Applying a fluorescence-based method, we found that uH2B acts through a mechanism distinct from H4 tail acetylation, a modification known to disrupt chromatin folding. Finally, incorporation of both uH2B and acetylated H4 resulted in synergistic inhibition of higher-order chromatin structure formation, possibly a result of their distinct modes of action.

Distinct regulatory mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional activation by SAGA and TFIID

A growing number of human diseases are linked to abnormal gene expression which is largely controlled at the level of transcriptional initiation. The gene-specific activator promotes the initiation of transcription through its interaction with one or more components of the transcriptional initiation machinery, hence leading to stimulated transcriptional initiation or activation. However, all activator proteins do not target the same component(s) of the transcriptional initiation machinery. Rather, they can have different target specificities, and thus, can lead to distinct mechanisms of transcriptional activation. Two such distinct mechanisms of transcriptional activation in yeast are mediated by the SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5-Acetyltransferase) and TFIID (Transcription factor IID) complexes, and are termed as "SAGA-dependent" and "TFIID-dependent" transcriptional activation, respectively. SAGA is the target of the activator in case of SAGA-dependent transcriptional activation, while the targeting of TFIID by the activator leads to TFIID-dependent transcriptional activation. Both the SAGA and TFIID complexes are highly conserved from yeast to human, and play crucial roles in gene activation among eukaryotes. The regulatory mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional activation by SAGA and TFIID are discussed here. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled The 26S Proteasome: When degradation is just not enough!

Identification of lysine 37 of histone H2B as a novel site of methylation

Recent technological advancements have allowed for highly-sophisticated mass spectrometry-based studies of the histone code, which predicts that combinations of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on histone proteins result in defined biological outcomes mediated by effector proteins that recognize such marks. While significant progress has been made in the identification and characterization of histone PTMs, a full appreciation of the complexity of the histone code will require a complete understanding of all the modifications that putatively contribute to it. Here, using the top-down mass spectrometry approach for identifying PTMs on full-length histones, we report that lysine 37 of histone H2B is dimethylated in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By generating a modification-specific antibody and yeast strains that harbor mutations in the putative site of methylation, we provide evidence that this mark exist in vivo. Importantly, we show that this lysine residue is highly conserved through evolution, and provide evidence that this methylation event also occurs in higher eukaryotes. By identifying a novel site of histone methylation, this study adds to our overall understanding of the complex number of histone modifications that contribute to chromatin function.

Involvement of Elongin C in the spread of repressive histone modifications

In our previous work, we induced RNA interference (RNAi) against the spectinomycin resistance-conferring aadA transgene by transcribing a long inverted repeat in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. However, after long-term culture, the level of transcripts of the inverted repeat was markedly decreased. In this study, we performed random insertional mutagenesis of the RNAi strain to identify the genes that contribute to the transcriptional silencing of the silencer construct. We succeeded in isolating several mutants showing derepression of transcription of the inverted repeat. One of these tag mutant strains, 148-10H, had a deletion of the Elongin C gene (ELC), which is a component of some E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes. In the mutant, the level of monomethyl histone H3 on lysine 9 (H3K9me1) was reduced to less than half of the parental strain, and a large portion of deacetylated H3 marks were removed from the promoter region of the silencer construct, while these repressive histone modifications and levels of methyl-CpG levels were retained in the inverted repeat region. The most probable interpretation of the above-mentioned phenomenon is that ELC is essential for stepwise extension of heterochromatin formation that is nucleated in the inverted region over the promoter region.

A modified epigenetics toolbox to study histone modifications on the nucleosome core

In the eukaryotic cell nucleus, the DNA is packaged in a structure called chromatin. The fundamental building block of chromatin is the nucleosome, which is composed of DNA wrapped around an octamer of four distinct histone proteins. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histone proteins can affect chromatin structure and function and thereby play critical roles in regulating gene expression. Most histone PTMs are found in unstructured histone tails that protrude from the nucleosome core. As a consequence, (synthetic) peptide truncations of these tails provide convenient substrates for the analysis of histone binding proteins and modifying enzymes. Modifications located on residues that reside in the nucleosome core are more difficult to study because short peptides do not recapitulate this defined structured state well. Methylation of histone H3 on Lys79 (H3K79), mediated by the Dot1 enzyme, is an example of such a core PTM. This modification, which is highly conserved, is linked to human leukemia, and pharmacological modulation of Dot1 activity could be a strategy to treat leukemia. Here we review the available and emerging genetic, biochemical, and chemical methods that together are starting to reveal the function and regulation of this and other histone modifications on the nucleosome core.

Regulation of histone H2A and H2B deubiquitination and Xenopus development by USP12 and USP46

Post-translational histone modifications play important roles in regulating gene expression programs, which in turn determine cell fate and lineage commitment during development. One such modification is histone ubiquitination, which primarily targets histone H2A and H2B. Although ubiquitination of H2A and H2B has been generally linked to gene silencing and gene activation, respectively, the functions of histone ubiquitination during eukaryote development are not well understood. Here, we identified USP12 and USP46 as histone H2A and H2B deubiquitinases that regulate Xenopus development. USP12 and USP46 prefer nucleosomal substrates and deubiquitinate both histone H2A and H2B in vitro and in vivo. WDR48, a WD40 repeat-containing protein, interacts with USP12 and USP46 and is required for the histone deubiquitination activity. Overexpression of either gene leads to gastrulation defects without affecting mesodermal cell fate, whereas knockdown of USP12 in Xenopus embryos results in reduction of a subset of mesodermal genes at gastrula stages. Immunohistochemical staining and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that USP12 regulates histone deubiquitination in the mesoderm and at specific gene promoters during Xenopus development. Taken together, this study identifies USP12 and USP46 as histone deubiquitinases for H2A and H2B and reveals that USP12 regulates Xenopus development during gastrula stages.

Glucose metabolism induces mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B in mammalian cells

Histone modifications play an important role in transcriptional regulation and are intimately involved in important biological and disease processes. Despite their functional significance, whether and how extracellular signals modulate histone modifications are not well defined. Using mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B as a model system, we have previously shown that mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B is induced by glucose through glycolysis in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Because histones are well conserved proteins among eukaryotes and glycolysis is the most conserved metabolic pathway, we reasoned that the glucose-glycolysis-uH2B signal pathway originally discovered in yeast may be conserved in human cells. Using cultured human glioma cells as a model, we show in this report that extracellular media modulated global levels of mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B at K120 (uH2B). Nutrient deprivation removed the ubiquitin moiety of uH2B. Glucose-containing media induced uH2B in the cells while media lacking glucose had no effect on the induction of uH2B, suggesting that glucose was required for inducing uH2B in the cells. In contrast, non-metabolic glucose analogs were defective in inducing uH2B, suggesting that glucose metabolism was required for glucose-induced mono-ubiquitination in the cultured glioma cells. Moreover, shRNA knockdown of PKM2, an essential enzyme for glycolysis in malignant tumors, inhibited mono-ubiquitination of histone H2B in these cells. Taken together, our previous and current results demonstrate that the novel glucose-glycolysis-uH2B signal pathway is well conserved from yeast to mammalian cells, providing an evolutionarily-conserved regulatory mechanism of histone modifications.

Setting and resetting of epigenetic marks in malignant transformation and development

Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and post-translation modifications of histones, have been shown to play an important role in chromatin structure, promoter activity, and cellular reprogramming. Large protein complexes, such as Polycomb and trithorax, often harbor multiple activities which affect histone tail modification. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the deposition of these marks, their propagation during cell replication, and the alteration on their distribution during transformation still require further study. Here we review recent data on those processes in both normal and cancer cells, and we propose that the unscheduled expression of oncogenic transcription factors causes reprogramming of normal cells into cancer stem cells.

Ser(120) of Ubc2/Rad6 regulates ubiquitin-dependent N-end rule targeting by E3{alpha}/Ubr1

In CHO cells, CDK1/2-dependent phosphorylation of Ubc2/Rad6 at Ser(120) stimulates its ubiquitin conjugating activity and can be replicated by a S120D point mutant (Sarcevic, B., Mawson, A., Baker, R. T., and Sutherland, R. L. (2002) EMBO J. 21, 2009-2018). In contrast, we find that ectopic expression of wild type Ubc2b but not Ubc2bS120D or Ubc2bS120A in T47D human breast cancer cells specifically stimulates N-end rule-dependent degradation but not the Ubc2-independent unfolded protein response pathway, indicating that the former is E2 limiting in vivo and likely down-regulated by Ser(120) phosphorylation, as modeled by the S120D point mutation. In vitro kinetic analysis shows the in vivo phenotype of Ubc2bS120D and Ubc2bS120A is not due to differences in activating enzyme-catalyzed E2 transthiolation. However, the Ser(120) mutants possess marked differences in their abilities to support in vitro conjugation by the N-end rule-specific E3α/Ubr1 ligase that presumably accounts for their in vivo effects. Initial rate kinetics of human E3α-catalyzed conjugation of the human α-lactalbumin N-end rule substrate shows Ubc2bS120D is 20-fold less active than wild type E2, resulting from an 8-fold increase in K(m) and a 2.5-fold decrease in V(max), the latter reflecting a decreased ability to support the initial step in target protein conjugation; Ubc2bS120A is 8-fold less active than wild type E2 due almost exclusively to a decrease in V(max), reflecting a defect in polyubiquitin chain elongation. These studies suggest a mechanism for the integrated regulation of diverse ubiquitin-dependent signaling pathways through E2 phosphorylation that yields differential effects on its cognate ligases.

Global analysis of functional relationships between histone point mutations and the effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors

Comprehensive analyses of the histone-GLibrary in previous studies showed that most mutants of modification sites in the histone core regions show phenotypes, whereas those with modifications in the histone N-terminal unstructured tail regions (N-tails) do not. One possible reason is that modifications in N-tails are linked to each other to form a scale-free network termed histone 'modification web'. In the network, the compensatory pathways are created to acquire the robustness against the any defects. Because of this robustness, it is difficult to determine the significance of the individual histone modifications in N-tails in vivo. To overcome this problem, we used a strategy using drugs coordinately to inhibit modification enzymes and observed the mutant phenotypes when the compensatory pathways are largely interrupted. We analyzed histone-GLibrary using inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and identified novel phenotypic mutants. We also examined the phenotypic changes through the combined use of an HDAC inhibitor and an inhibitor of DNA-mediated reactions. Mutation of modifiable sites H3-K4 and H4-K16 in histone N-tails, which are presumed to be the 'hubs' of the network, resulted in identifiable phenotypes. The data obtained provide valuable information for speculation on novel relationships between histone modification in N-tails and biological function and for predicting unknown modification sites in core histones.

Deficiency in Bre1 impairs homologous recombination repair and cell cycle checkpoint response to radiation damage in mammalian cells

The pathway involving Bre1-dependent monoubiquitination of histone H2B lysine 123, which leads to Dot1-dependent methylation of histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79me2), has been implicated in survival after exposure to ionizing radiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that depletion of mammalian homologs of Bre1 compromises the response to ionizing radiation, leading to increased radiosensitivity and a G(2)/M checkpoint defect. The deficiency in Bre1a/b function was also associated with increased sensitivity to crosslinking drugs and defective formation of Rad51 foci in mouse cells, suggesting a defect in homologous recombinational repair analogous to that seen in Saccharomyces. In budding yeast, H3K79me2 is important for the recruitment of the checkpoint signaling protein Rad9 to sites of double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, in mammalian cells, 53BP1 (the Rad9 ortholog) in addition to H3K79me2 recognizes a different residue, H4K20me2, and some studies argue that it is H4K20me2 and not H3K79me2 that is the preferred target for 53BP1. We show here that depletion of Bre1b specifically reduced dimethylation of H3K79 without affecting dimethylation of H4K20. Thus our data suggest that the observed defects in the radiation response of Bre1a/b-deficient cells are associated with reduced H3K79me2 and not with H4K20me2.

The proteasome and its regulatory roles in gene expression

Cumulative evidence indicates that the proteasome, which is mainly known as a protein-degrading machine, is very essential for gene expression. Destructive functions of the proteasome, i.e., ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic activity, are significant for activator localization, activator destruction, co-activator/repressor destruction and PIC disassembly. Non-proteolytic functions of the proteasome are important for recruitment of activators and co-activators to promoters, ubiquitin-dependent histone modification, transcription elongation and possibly maturation of mRNA via the facilitation of mRNA export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In this review, we discuss how the proteasome regulates transcription at numerous stages during gene expression. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled The 26S Proteasome: When degradation is just not enough!

A lysine-rich region in Dot1p is crucial for direct interaction with H2B ubiquitylation and high level methylation of H3K79

Dot1p is involved in maintenance of the heterochromatin boundary, the DNA damage response, and transcriptional regulation in yeast and animals. Dot1p is a histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase, but H3K79 trimethylation (H3K79me3) by Dot1p requires histone H2B monoubiquitylation (H2Bub) as a pre-requisite. The underlying mechanism for H2Bub requirement has not been well elucidated. In this work, we found that nucleosomes containing H2Bub stimulate the yeast Dot1p to produce H3K79me3. A pulldown assay showed that the yeast Dot1p directly binds to ubiquitin. In addition, we demonstrate that a lysine-rich region (aa 101-140) in the first half of DNA binding domain of the Dot1p is critical in interaction with ubiquitin as well as binding to nucleosome core. Consistent with this, either deletion or point mutation of the lysine-rich region resulted in defect in global H3K79me3 accumulation and subtelomeric gene silencing in vivo. Taken together, our results indicate that a direct interaction between the lysine-rich region of Dot1p and the ubiquitin of H2Bub is required for H2Bub-mediated trans-tail regulation.

The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme HR6B is required for maintenance of X chromosome silencing in mouse spermatocytes and spermatids

BACKGROUND

The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme HR6B is required for spermatogenesis in mouse. Loss of HR6B results in aberrant histone modification patterns on the trancriptionally silenced X and Y chromosomes (XY body) and on centromeric chromatin in meiotic prophase. We studied the relationship between these chromatin modifications and their effects on global gene expression patterns, in spermatocytes and spermatids.

RESULTS

HR6B is enriched on the XY body and on centromeric regions in pachytene spermatocytes. Global gene expression analyses revealed that spermatid-specific single- and multicopy X-linked genes are prematurely expressed in Hr6b knockout spermatocytes. Very few other differences in gene expression were observed in these cells, except for upregulation of major satellite repeat transcription. In contrast, in Hr6b knockout spermatids, 7298 genes were differentially expressed; 65% of these genes was downregulated, but we observed a global upregulation of gene transcription from the X chromosome. In wild type spermatids, approximately 20% of the single-copy X-linked genes reach an average expression level that is similar to the average expression from autosomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Spermatids maintain an enrichment of repressive chromatin marks on the X chromosome, originating from meiotic prophase, but this does not interfere with transcription of the single-copy X-linked genes that are reactivated or specifically activated in spermatids. HR6B represses major satellite repeat transcription in spermatocytes, and functions in the maintenance of X chromosome silencing in spermatocytes and spermatids. It is discussed that these functions involve modification of chromatin structure, possibly including H2B ubiquitylation.

Bre1p-mediated histone H2B ubiquitylation regulates apoptosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BRE1 encodes an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase that is required for the ubiquitylation of histone H2B at lysine 123 (K123). Ubiquitylation of this histone residue is involved in a variety of cellular processes including gene activation and gene silencing. Abolishing histone H2B ubiquitylation also confers X-ray sensitivity and abrogates checkpoint activation after DNA damage. Here we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Bre1p exhibits anti-apoptotic activity in yeast and that this is linked to histone H2B ubiquitylation. We found that enhanced levels of Bre1p protect from hydrogen-peroxide-induced cell death, whereas deletion of BRE1 enhances cell death. Moreover, cells lacking Bre1p show reduced lifespan during chronological ageing, a physiological apoptotic condition in yeast. Importantly, the resistance against apoptosis is conferred by histone H2B ubiquitylation mediated by the E3 ligase activity of Bre1p. Furthermore, we found that the death of Δbre1 cells depends on the yeast caspase Yca1p, because Δbre1 cells exhibit increased caspase activity when compared with wild-type cells, and deletion of YCA1 leads to reduced apoptosis sensitivity of cells lacking Bre1p.

Quantitative genetic interactions reveal biological modularity

Traditionally, research has been reductionist, characterizing the individual components of biological systems. But new technologies have increased the size and scope of biological data, and systems approaches have broadened the view of how these components are interconnected. Here, we discuss how quantitative mapping of genetic interactions enhances our view of biological systems, allowing their deeper interrogation across different biological scales.

Novel trans-tail regulation of H2B ubiquitylation and H3K4 methylation by the N terminus of histone H2A

Chromatin is regulated by cross talk among different histone modifications, which can occur between residues within the same tail or different tails in the nucleosome. The latter is referred to as trans-tail regulation, and the best-characterized example of this is the dependence of H3 methylation on H2B ubiquitylation. Here we describe a novel form of trans-tail regulation of histone modifications involving the N-terminal tail of histone H2A. Mutating or deleting residues in the N-terminal tail of H2A reduces H2B ubiquitylation and H3K4 methylation but does not affect the recruitment of the modifying enzymes, Rad6/Bre1 and COMPASS, to genes. The H2A tail is required for the incorporation of Cps35 into COMPASS, and increasing the level of ubiquitylated H2B in H2A tail mutants suppresses the H3K4 methylation defect, suggesting that the H2A tail regulates H2B-H3 cross talk. We mapped the region primarily responsible for this regulation to the H2A repression domain, HAR. The HAR and K123 of H2B are in close proximity to each other on the nucleosome, suggesting that they form a docking site for the ubiquitylation machinery. Interestingly, the HAR is partially occluded by nucleosomal DNA, suggesting that the function of the H2A cross talk pathway is to restrict histone modifications to nucleosomes altered by transcription.

Structural basis for assembly and activation of the heterotetrameric SAGA histone H2B deubiquitinase module

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) regulate diverse cellular functions by cleaving ubiquitin from specific protein substrates. How their activities are modulated in various cellular contexts remains poorly understood. The yeast deubiquitinase Ubp8 protein is recruited and activated by the SAGA complex and, together with Sgf11, Sus1, and Sgf73, forms a DUB module responsible for deubiquitinating histone H2B during gene expression. Here, we report the crystal structure of the complete SAGA DUB module, which features two functional lobes structurally coupled by Sgf73. In the "assembly lobe," a long Sgf11 N-terminal helix is clamped onto the Ubp8 ZnF-UBP domain by Sus1. In the "catalytic lobe," an Sgf11 C-terminal zinc-finger domain binds to the Ubp8 catalytic domain next to its active site. Our structural and functional analyses reveal a central role of Sgf11 and Sgf73 in activating Ubp8 for deubiquitinating histone H2B and demonstrate how a DUB can be allosterically regulated by its nonsubstrate partners.

Role of ubiquitination in meiotic recombination repair

Programmed and unprogrammed double-strand breaks (DSBs) often arise from such physiological requirements as meiotic recombination, and exogenous insults, such as ionizing radiation (IR). Due to deleterious impacts on genome stability, DSBs must be appropriately processed and repaired in a regulatory manner. Recent investigations have indicated that ubiquitination is a critical factor in DNA damage response and meiotic recombination repair. This review summarizes the effects of proteins and complexes associated with ubiquitination with regard to homologous recombination (HR)-dependent DSB repair.

Histone H2B C-terminal helix mediates trans-histone H3K4 methylation independent of H2B ubiquitination

The trans-histone regulatory cross talk between H2BK123 ubiquitination (H2Bub1) and H3K4 and H3K79 methylation is not fully understood. In this study, we report that the residues arginine 119 and threonine 122 in the H2B C-terminal helix are important for transcription and cell growth and play a direct role in controlling H2Bub1 and H3K4 methylation. These residues modulate H2Bub1 levels by controlling the chromatin binding and activities of the deubiquitinases. Furthermore, we find an uncoupling of the H2Bub1-mediated coregulation of both H3K4 and -K79 methylation, as these H2B C-terminal helix residues are part of a distinct surface that affects only Set1-COMPASS (complex proteins associated with Set1)-mediated H3K4 methylation without affecting the functions of Dot1. Importantly, we also find that these residues interact with Spp1 and control the chromatin association, integrity, and overall stability of Set1-COMPASS independent of H2Bub1. Therefore, we have uncovered a novel role for the H2B C-terminal helix in the trans-histone cross talk as a binding surface for Set1-COMPASS. We provide further insight into the trans-histone cross talk and propose that H2Bub1 stabilizes the nucleosome by preventing H2A-H2B eviction and, thereby, retains the "docking site" for Set1-COMPASS on chromatin to maintain its stable chromatin association, complex stability, and processive methylation.

Inducible gene expression: diverse regulatory mechanisms

The rapid activation of gene expression in response to stimuli occurs largely through the regulation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. In this Review, we discuss events that occur during the transcription cycle in eukaryotes that are important for the rapid and specific activation of gene expression in response to external stimuli. In addition to regulated recruitment of the transcription machinery to the promoter, it has now been shown that control steps can include chromatin remodelling and the release of paused polymerase. Recent work suggests that some components of signal transduction cascades also play an integral part in activating transcription at target genes.