Two-Color Cell Array Screen Reveals Interdependent Roles for Histone Chaperones and a Chromatin Boundary Regulator in Histone Gene Repression

Genetic screens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae identify a role for 40S ribosome recycling factors Tma20 and Tma22 in nonsense-mediated decay

The decay of messenger RNA with a premature termination codon by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) is an important regulatory pathway for eukaryotes and an essential pathway in mammals. NMD is typically triggered by the ribosome terminating at a stop codon that is aberrantly distant from the poly-A tail. Here, we use a fluorescence screen to identify factors involved in NMD in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition to the known NMD factors, including the entire UPF family (UPF1, UPF2, and UPF3), as well as NMD4 and EBS1, we identify factors known to function in posttermination recycling and characterize their contribution to NMD. These observations in S. cerevisiae expand on data in mammals indicating that the 60S recycling factor ABCE1 is important for NMD by showing that perturbations in factors implicated in 40S recycling also correlate with a loss of NMD.

Structure of the human ATAD2 AAA+ histone chaperone reveals mechanism of regulation and inter-subunit communication

ATAD2 is a non-canonical ATP-dependent histone chaperone and a major cancer target. Despite widespread efforts to design drugs targeting the ATAD2 bromodomain, little is known about the overall structural organization and regulation of ATAD2. Here, we present the 3.1 Å cryo-EM structure of human ATAD2 in the ATP state, showing a shallow hexameric spiral that binds a peptide substrate at the central pore. The spiral conformation is locked by an N-terminal linker domain (LD) that wedges between the seam subunits, thus limiting ATP-dependent symmetry breaking of the AAA+ ring. In contrast, structures of the ATAD2-histone H3/H4 complex show the LD undocked from the seam, suggesting that H3/H4 binding unlocks the AAA+ spiral by allosterically releasing the LD. These findings, together with the discovery of an inter-subunit signaling mechanism, reveal a unique regulatory mechanism for ATAD2 and lay the foundation for developing new ATAD2 inhibitors.

Negative regulation of biofilm development by the CUG-Ser1 clade-specific histone H3 variant is dependent on the canonical histone chaperone CAF-1 complex in Candida albicans

The CUG-Ser1 clade-specific histone H3 variant (H3V^CTG ) has been reported to be a negative regulator of planktonic to biofilm growth transition in Candida albicans. The preferential binding of H3V^CTG at the biofilm gene promoters makes chromatin repressive for the biofilm mode of growth. The two evolutionarily conserved chaperone complexes involved in incorporating histone H3 are CAF-1 and HIRA. In this study, we sought to identify the chaperone complex(es) involved in loading H3V^CTG . We demonstrate that C. albicans cells lacking either Cac1 or Cac2 subunit of the CAF-1 chaperone complex, exhibit a hyper-filamentation phenotype on solid surfaces and form more robust biofilms than wild-type cells, thereby mimicking the phenotype of the H3V^CTG null mutant. None of the subunits of the HIRA chaperone complex shows any significant difference in biofilm growth as compared to the wild type. The occupancy of H3V^CTG is found to be significantly reduced at the promoters of biofilm genes in the absence of CAF-1 subunits. Hence, we provide evidence that CAF-1, a chaperone known to load canonical histone H3 in mammalian cells, is involved in chaperoning of variant histone H3V^CTG at the biofilm gene promoters in C. albicans. Our findings also illustrate the acquisition of an unconventional role of the CAF-1 chaperone complex in morphogenesis in C. albicans.

Tumor-Promoting ATAD2 and Its Preclinical Challenges

ATAD2 has received extensive attention in recent years as one prospective oncogene with tumor-promoting features in many malignancies. ATAD2 is a highly conserved bromodomain family protein that exerts its biological functions by mainly AAA ATPase and bromodomain. ATAD2 acts as an epigenetic decoder and transcription factor or co-activator, which is engaged in cellular activities, such as transcriptional regulation, DNA replication, and protein modification. ATAD2 has been reported to be highly expressed in a variety of human malignancies, including gastrointestinal malignancies, reproductive malignancies, urological malignancies, lung cancer, and other types of malignancies. ATAD2 is involved in the activation of multiple oncogenic signaling pathways and is closely associated with tumorigenesis, progression, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis, but the oncogenic mechanisms vary in different cancer types. Moreover, the direct targeting of ATAD2’s bromodomain may be a very challenging task. In this review, we summarized the role of ATAD2 in various types of malignancies and pointed out the pharmacological direction.

Distinct elongation stalls during translation are linked with distinct pathways for mRNA degradation

Key protein adapters couple translation to mRNA decay on specific classes of problematic mRNAs in eukaryotes. Slow decoding on non-optimal codons leads to codon-optimality-mediated decay (COMD) and prolonged arrest at stall sites leads to no-go decay (NGD). The identities of the decay factors underlying these processes and the mechanisms by which they respond to translational distress remain open areas of investigation. We use carefully designed reporter mRNAs to perform genetic screens and functional assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We characterize the roles of Hel2, Syh1, and Smy2 in coordinating translational repression and mRNA decay on NGD reporter mRNAs, finding that Syh1 and, to a lesser extent its paralog Smy2, act in a distinct pathway from Hel2. This Syh1/Smy2-mediated pathway acts as a redundant, compensatory pathway to elicit NGD when Hel2-dependent NGD is impaired. Importantly, we observe that these NGD factors are not involved in the degradation of mRNAs enriched in non-optimal codons. Further, we establish that a key factor previously implicated in COMD, Not5, contributes modestly to the degradation of an NGD-targeted mRNA. Finally, we use ribosome profiling to reveal distinct ribosomal states associated with each reporter mRNA that readily rationalize the contributions of NGD and COMD factors to degradation of these reporters. Taken together, these results provide new insight into the role of Syh1 and Smy2 in NGD and into the ribosomal states that correlate with the activation of distinct pathways targeting mRNAs for degradation in yeast.

Methods for detecting RNA degradation intermediates in plants

RNA degradation is an important process for controlling gene expression and is mediated by decapping / deadenylation-dependent or endonucleolytic cleavage-dependent RNA degradation mechanisms. High-throughput sequencing of RNA degradation intermediates was initially developed in Arabidopsis thaliana and similar RNA degradome sequencing methods were conducted in other eukaryotes. However, interpreting results obtained by these sequencing methods is fragmented, and an overview is needed. Here we review the findings and limitations of these sequencing methods and discuss the missing experiments needed to understand RNA degradation intermediates accurately. This review provides direction for future research on RNA degradation and is a reference for RNA degradome studies in other species.

Antisense-mediated repression of SAGA-dependent genes involves the HIR histone chaperone

Eukaryotic genomes are pervasively transcribed by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), and transcription of long non-coding RNAs often overlaps with coding gene promoters. This might lead to coding gene repression in a process named Transcription Interference (TI). In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, TI is mainly driven by antisense non-coding transcription and occurs through re-shaping of promoter Nucleosome-Depleted Regions (NDRs). In this study, we developed a genetic screen to identify new players involved in Antisense-Mediated Transcription Interference (AMTI). Among the candidates, we found the HIR histone chaperone complex known to be involved in de novo histone deposition. Using genome-wide approaches, we reveal that HIR-dependent histone deposition represses the promoters of SAGA-dependent genes via antisense non-coding transcription. However, while antisense transcription is enriched at promoters of SAGA-dependent genes, this feature is not sufficient to define the mode of gene regulation. We further show that the balance between HIR-dependent nucleosome incorporation and transcription factor binding at promoters directs transcription into a SAGA- or TFIID-dependent regulation. This study sheds light on a new connection between antisense non-coding transcription and the nature of coding transcription initiation.

SWI/SNF and the histone chaperone Rtt106 drive expression of the Pleiotropic Drug Resistance network genes

The Pleiotropic Drug Resistance (PDR) network is central to the drug response in fungi, and its overactivation is associated with drug resistance. However, gene regulation of the PDR network is not well understood. Here, we show that the histone chaperone Rtt106 and the chromatin remodeller SWI/SNF control expression of the PDR network genes and confer drug resistance. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rtt106 specifically localises to PDR network gene promoters dependent on transcription factor Pdr3, but not Pdr1, and is essential for Pdr3-mediated basal expression of the PDR network genes, while SWI/SNF is essential for both basal and drug-induced expression. Also in the pathogenic fungus Candida glabrata, Rtt106 and SWI/SNF regulate drug-induced PDR gene expression. Consistently, loss of Rtt106 or SWI/SNF sensitises drug-resistant S. cerevisiae mutants and C. glabrata to antifungal drugs. Since they cooperatively drive PDR network gene expression, Rtt106 and SWI/SNF represent potential therapeutic targets to combat antifungal resistance.

Replication stress inhibits synthesis of histone mRNAs in yeast by removing Spt10p and Spt21p from the histone promoters

Proliferating cells coordinate histone and DNA synthesis to maintain correct stoichiometry for chromatin assembly. Histone mRNA levels must be repressed when DNA replication is inhibited to prevent toxicity and genome instability due to free non-chromatinized histone proteins. In mammalian cells, replication stress triggers degradation of histone mRNAs, but it is unclear if this mechanism is conserved from other species. The aim of this study was to identify the histone mRNA decay pathway in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and determine the mechanism by which DNA replication stress represses histone mRNAs. Using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation–quantitative PCR, we show here that histone mRNAs can be degraded by both 5′ → 3′ and 3′ → 5′ pathways; however, replication stress does not trigger decay of histone mRNA in yeast. Rather, replication stress inhibits transcription of histone genes by removing the histone gene–specific transcription factors Spt10p and Spt21p from histone promoters, leading to disassembly of the preinitiation complexes and eviction of RNA Pol II from histone genes by a mechanism facilitated by checkpoint kinase Rad53p and histone chaperone Asf1p. In contrast, replication stress does not remove SCB-binding factor transcription complex, another activator of histone genes, from the histone promoters, suggesting that Spt10p and Spt21p have unique roles in the transcriptional downregulation of histone genes during replication stress. Together, our data show that, unlike in mammalian cells, replication stress in yeast does not trigger decay of histone mRNAs but inhibits histone transcription.

A CDK-regulated chromatin segregase promoting chromosome replication

The replication of chromosomes during S phase is critical for cellular and organismal function. Replicative stress can result in genome instability, which is a major driver of cancer. Yet how chromatin is made accessible during eukaryotic DNA synthesis is poorly understood. Here, we report the characterization of a chromatin remodeling enzyme-Yta7-entirely distinct from classical SNF2-ATPase family remodelers. Yta7 is a AAA⁺ -ATPase that assembles into ~1 MDa hexameric complexes capable of segregating histones from DNA. The Yta7 chromatin segregase promotes chromosome replication both in vivo and in vitro. Biochemical reconstitution experiments using purified proteins revealed that the enzymatic activity of Yta7 is regulated by S phase-forms of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (S-CDK). S-CDK phosphorylation stimulates ATP hydrolysis by Yta7, promoting nucleosome disassembly and chromatin replication. Our results present a mechanism for how cells orchestrate chromatin dynamics in co-ordination with the cell cycle machinery to promote genome duplication during S phase.

The histone chaperone HIR maintains chromatin states to control nitrogen assimilation and fungal virulence

Adaptation to changing environments and immune evasion is pivotal for fitness of pathogens. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Adaptation is governed by dynamic transcriptional re-programming, which is tightly connected to chromatin architecture. Here, we report a pivotal role for the HIR histone chaperone complex in modulating virulence of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Genetic ablation of HIR function alters chromatin accessibility linked to aberrant transcriptional responses to protein as nitrogen source. This accelerates metabolic adaptation and increases the release of extracellular proteases, which enables scavenging of alternative nitrogen sources. Furthermore, HIR controls fungal virulence, as HIR1 deletion leads to differential recognition by immune cells and hypervirulence in a mouse model of systemic infection. This work provides mechanistic insights into chromatin-coupled regulatory mechanisms that fine-tune pathogen gene expression and virulence. Furthermore, the data point toward the requirement of refined screening approaches to exploit chromatin modifications as antifungal strategies.

Transcription coordinates histone amounts and genome content

Biochemical reactions typically depend on the concentrations of the molecules involved, and cell survival therefore critically depends on the concentration of proteins. To maintain constant protein concentrations during cell growth, global mRNA and protein synthesis rates are tightly linked to cell volume. While such regulation is appropriate for most proteins, certain cellular structures do not scale with cell volume. The most striking example of this is the genomic DNA, which doubles during the cell cycle and increases with ploidy, but is independent of cell volume. Here, we show that the amount of histone proteins is coupled to the DNA content, even though mRNA and protein synthesis globally increase with cell volume. As a consequence, and in contrast to the global trend, histone concentrations decrease with cell volume but increase with ploidy. We find that this distinct coordination of histone homeostasis and genome content is already achieved at the transcript level, and is an intrinsic property of histone promoters that does not require direct feedback mechanisms. Mathematical modeling and histone promoter truncations reveal a simple and generalizable mechanism to control the cell volume- and ploidy-dependence of a given gene through the balance of the initiation and elongation rates.

The box C/D snoRNP assembly factor Bcd1 interacts with the histone chaperone Rtt106 and controls its transcription dependent activity

Biogenesis of eukaryotic box C/D small nucleolar ribonucleoproteins initiates co-transcriptionally and requires the action of the assembly machinery including the Hsp90/R2TP complex, the Rsa1p:Hit1p heterodimer and the Bcd1 protein. We present genetic interactions between the Rsa1p-encoding gene and genes involved in chromatin organization including RTT106 that codes for the H3-H4 histone chaperone Rtt106p controlling H3K56ac deposition. We show that Bcd1p binds Rtt106p and controls its transcription-dependent recruitment by reducing its association with RNA polymerase II, modulating H3K56ac levels at gene body. We reveal the 3D structures of the free and Rtt106p-bound forms of Bcd1p using nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography. The interaction is also studied by a combination of biophysical and proteomic techniques. Bcd1p interacts with a region that is distinct from the interaction interface between the histone chaperone and histone H3. Our results are evidence for a protein interaction interface for Rtt106p that controls its transcription-associated activity.

Biogenesis of small nucleolar RNAs ribonucleoproteins (snoRNPs) requires dedicated assembly machinery. Here, the authors show that a subset of snoRNP assembly factors interacts, genetically or directly, with factors modulating chromatin architecture, suggesting a link between ribosome formation and chromatin functions.

Reduced gene dosage of histone H4 prevents CENP-A mislocalization and chromosomal instability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mislocalization of the centromeric histone H3 variant (Cse4 in budding yeast, CID in flies, CENP-A in humans) to noncentromeric regions contributes to chromosomal instability (CIN) in yeast, fly, and human cells. Overexpression and mislocalization of CENP-A have been observed in cancers, however, the mechanisms that facilitate the mislocalization of overexpressed CENP-A have not been fully explored. Defects in proteolysis of overexpressed Cse4 (GALCSE4) lead to its mislocalization and synthetic dosage lethality (SDL) in mutants for E3 ubiquitin ligases (Psh1, Slx5, SCFMet30, and SCFCdc4), Doa1, Hir2, and Cdc7. In contrast, defects in sumoylation of overexpressed cse4K215/216/A/R prevent its mislocalization and do not cause SDL in a psh1Δ strain. Here, we used a genome-wide screen to identify factors that facilitate the mislocalization of overexpressed Cse4 by characterizing suppressors of the psh1Δ GALCSE4 SDL. Deletions of histone H4 alleles (HHF1 or HHF2), which were among the most prominent suppressors, also suppress slx5Δ, cdc4-1, doa1Δ, hir2Δ, and cdc7-4 GALCSE4 SDL. Reduced dosage of H4 leads to defects in sumoylation and reduced mislocalization of overexpressed Cse4, which contributes to suppression of CIN when Cse4 is overexpressed. We determined that the hhf1-20, cse4-102, and cse4-111 mutants, which are defective in the Cse4-H4 interaction, also exhibit reduced sumoylation of Cse4 and do not display psh1Δ GALCSE4 SDL. In summary, we have identified genes that contribute to the mislocalization of overexpressed Cse4 and defined a role for the gene dosage of H4 in facilitating Cse4 sumoylation and mislocalization to noncentromeric regions, leading to CIN when Cse4 is overexpressed.

Histone exchange is associated with activator function at transcribed promoters and with repression at histone loci

Transcription in eukaryotes correlates with major chromatin changes, including the replacement of old nucleosomal histones by new histones at the promoters of genes. The role of these histone exchange events in transcription remains unclear. In particular, the causal relationship between histone exchange and activator binding, preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly, and/or subsequent transcription remains unclear. Here, we provide evidence that histone exchange at gene promoters is not simply a consequence of PIC assembly or transcription but instead is mediated by activators. We further show that not all activators up-regulate gene expression by inducing histone turnover. Thus, histone exchange does not simply correlate with transcriptional activity, but instead reflects the mode of action of the activator. Last, we show that histone turnover is not only associated with activator function but also plays a role in transcriptional repression at the histone loci.

H3.3 Nucleosome Assembly Mutants Display a Late-Onset Maternal Effect

Maternally inherited RNA and proteins control much of embryonic development. The effect of such maternal information beyond embryonic development is largely unclear. Here, we report that maternal contribution of histone H3.3 assembly complexes can prevent the expression of late-onset anatomical, physiologic, and behavioral abnormalities of C. elegans. We show that mutants lacking hira-1, an evolutionarily conserved H3.3-deposition factor, have severe pleiotropic defects that manifest predominantly at adulthood. These late-onset defects can be maternally rescued, and maternally derived HIRA-1 protein can be detected in hira-1(-/-) progeny. Mitochondrial stress likely contributes to the late-onset defects, given that hira-1 mutants display mitochondrial stress, and the induction of mitochondrial stress results in at least some of the hira-1 late-onset abnormalities. A screen for mutants that mimic the hira-1 mutant phenotype identified PQN-80-a HIRA complex component, known as UBN1 in humans-and XNP-1-a second H3.3 chaperone, known as ATRX in humans. pqn-80 and xnp-1 abnormalities are also maternally rescued. Furthermore, mutants lacking histone H3.3 have a late-onset defect similar to a defect of hira-1, pqn-80, and xnp-1 mutants. These data demonstrate that H3.3 assembly complexes provide non-DNA-based heritable information that can markedly influence adult phenotype. We speculate that similar maternal effects might explain the missing heritability of late-onset human diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The ATAD2/ANCCA homolog Yta7 cooperates with Scm3HJURP to deposit Cse4CENP-A at the centromere in yeast

The AAA⁺ ATPase and bromodomain factor ATAD2/ANCCA is overexpressed in many types of cancer, but how it contributes to tumorigenesis is not understood. Here, we report that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog Yta7^ATAD2 is a deposition factor for the centromeric histone H3 variant Cse4^CENP-A at the centromere in yeast. Yta7^ATAD2 regulates the levels of centromeric Cse4^CENP-A in that yta7∆ causes reduced Cse4^CENP-A deposition, whereas YTA7 overexpression causes increased Cse4^CENP-A deposition. Yta7^ATAD2 coimmunoprecipitates with Cse4^CENP-A and is associated with the centromere, arguing for a direct role of Yta7^ATAD2 in Cse4^CENP-A deposition. Furthermore, increasing centromeric Cse4^CENP-A levels by YTA7 overexpression requires the activity of Scm3^HJURP, the centromeric nucleosome assembly factor. Importantly, Yta7^ATAD2 interacts in vivo with Scm3^HJURP, indicating that Yta7^ATAD2 is a cochaperone for Scm3^HJURP The absence of Yta7 causes defects in growth and chromosome segregation with mutations in components of the inner kinetochore (CTF19/CCAN, Mif2^CENP-C, Cbf1). Since Yta7^ATAD2 is an AAA⁺ ATPase and potential hexameric unfoldase, our results suggest that it may unfold the Cse4^CENP-A histone and hand it over to Scm3^HJURP for subsequent deposition in the centromeric nucleosome. Furthermore, our findings suggest that ATAD2 overexpression may enhance malignant transformation in humans by misregulating centromeric CENP-A levels, thus leading to defects in kinetochore assembly and chromosome segregation.

Set1-catalyzed H3K4 trimethylation antagonizes the HIR/Asf1/Rtt106 repressor complex to promote histone gene expression and chronological life span

Aging is the main risk factor for many prevalent diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating aging at the cellular level are largely unknown. Using single cell yeast as a model organism, we found that reducing yeast histone proteins accelerates chronological aging and increasing histone supply extends chronological life span. We sought to identify pathways that regulate chronological life span by controlling intracellular histone levels. Thus, we screened the histone H3/H4 mutant library to uncover histone residues and posttranslational modifications that regulate histone gene expression. We discovered 15 substitution mutations with reduced histone proteins and 5 mutations with increased histone proteins. Among these mutations, we found Set1 complex-catalyzed H3K4me3 promotes histone gene transcription and maintains normal chronological life span. Unlike the canonical functions of H3K4me3 in gene expression, H3K4me3 facilitates histone gene transcription by acting as a boundary to restrict the spread of the repressive HIR/Asf1/Rtt106 complex from histone gene promoters. Collectively, our study identified a novel mechanism by which H3K4me3 antagonizes the HIR/Asf1/Rtt106 repressor complex to promote histone gene expression and extend chronological life span.

The elongation factor Spn1 is a multi-functional chromatin binding protein

The process of transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in a chromatin context involves a large number of crucial factors. Spn1 is a highly conserved protein encoded by an essential gene and is known to interact with RNAPII and the histone chaperone Spt6. Spn1 negatively regulates the ability of Spt6 to interact with nucleosomes, but the chromatin binding properties of Spn1 are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that full length Spn1 (amino acids 1–410) binds DNA, histones H3–H4, mononucleosomes and nucleosomal arrays, and has weak nucleosome assembly activity. The core domain of Spn1 (amino acids 141–305), which is necessary and sufficient in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for growth under ideal growth conditions, is unable to optimally interact with histones, nucleosomes and/or DNA and fails to assemble nucleosomes in vitro. Although competent for binding with Spt6 and RNAPII, the core domain derivative is not stably recruited to the CYC1 promoter, indicating chromatin interactions are an important aspect of normal Spn1 functions in vivo. Moreover, strong synthetic genetic interactions are observed with Spn1 mutants and deletions of histone chaperone genes. Taken together, these results indicate that Spn1 is a histone binding factor with histone chaperone functions.

The endonuclease Cue2 cleaves mRNAs at stalled ribosomes during No Go Decay

Translation of problematic sequences in mRNAs leads to ribosome collisions that trigger a series of quality control events including ribosome rescue, degradation of the stalled nascent polypeptide, and targeting of the mRNA for decay (No Go Decay or NGD). Using a reverse genetic screen in yeast, we identify Cue2 as the conserved endonuclease that is recruited to stalled ribosomes to promote NGD. Ribosome profiling and biochemistry provide strong evidence that Cue2 cleaves mRNA within the A site of the colliding ribosome. We demonstrate that NGD primarily proceeds via Xrn1-mediated exonucleolytic decay and Cue2-mediated endonucleolytic decay normally constitutes a secondary decay pathway. Finally, we show that the Cue2-dependent pathway becomes a major contributor to NGD in cells depleted of factors required for the resolution of stalled ribosome complexes. Together these results provide insights into how multiple decay processes converge to process problematic mRNAs in eukaryotic cells.​.

Nucleosome Positioning by an Evolutionarily Conserved Chromatin Remodeler Prevents Aberrant DNA Methylation in Neurospora

In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, constitutive heterochromatin is marked by tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me3) and DNA methylation. We identified mutations in the Neurospora defective in methylation-1 (dim-1) gene that cause defects in cytosine methylation and implicate a putative AAA-ATPase chromatin remodeler. Although it was well-established that chromatin remodelers can affect transcription by influencing DNA accessibility with nucleosomes, little was known about the role of remodelers on chromatin that is normally not transcribed, including regions of constitutive heterochromatin. We found that dim-1 mutants display both reduced DNA methylation in heterochromatic regions as well as increased DNA methylation and H3K9me3 in some intergenic regions associated with highly expressed genes. Deletion of dim-1 leads to atypically spaced nucleosomes throughout the genome and numerous changes in gene expression. DIM-1 localizes to both heterochromatin and intergenic regions that become hyper-methylated in dim-1 strains. Our findings indicate that DIM-1 normally positions nucleosomes in both heterochromatin and euchromatin and that the standard arrangement and density of nucleosomes is required for the proper function of heterochromatin machinery.

Identification of Elg1 interaction partners and effects on post-replication chromatin re-formation

Elg1, the major subunit of a Replication Factor C-like complex, is critical to ensure genomic stability during DNA replication, and is implicated in controlling chromatin structure. We investigated the consequences of Elg1 loss for the dynamics of chromatin re-formation following DNA replication. Measurement of Okazaki fragment length and the micrococcal nuclease sensitivity of newly replicated DNA revealed a defect in nucleosome organization in the absence of Elg1. Using a proteomic approach to identify Elg1 binding partners, we discovered that Elg1 interacts with Rtt106, a histone chaperone implicated in replication-coupled nucleosome assembly that also regulates transcription. A central role for Elg1 is the unloading of PCNA from chromatin following DNA replication, so we examined the relative importance of Rtt106 and PCNA unloading for chromatin reassembly following DNA replication. We find that the major cause of the chromatin organization defects of an ELG1 mutant is PCNA retention on DNA following replication, with Rtt106-Elg1 interaction potentially playing a contributory role.

A Genome-Wide Screen Reveals a Role for the HIR Histone Chaperone Complex in Preventing Mislocalization of Budding Yeast CENP-A

Centromeric localization of the evolutionarily conserved centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A (Cse4 in yeast) is essential for faithful chromosome segregation. Overexpression and mislocalization of CENP-A lead to chromosome segregation defects in yeast, flies, and human cells. Overexpression of CENP-A has been observed in human cancers; however, the molecular mechanisms preventing CENP-A mislocalization are not fully understood. Here, we used a genome-wide synthetic genetic array (SGA) to identify gene deletions that exhibit synthetic dosage lethality (SDL) when Cse4 is overexpressed. Deletion for genes encoding the replication-independent histone chaperone HIR complex (HIR1, HIR2, HIR3, HPC2) and a Cse4-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, PSH1, showed highest SDL. We defined a role for Hir2 in proteolysis of Cse4 that prevents mislocalization of Cse4 to noncentromeric regions for genome stability. Hir2 interacts with Cse4 in vivo, and hir2∆ strains exhibit defects in Cse4 proteolysis and stabilization of chromatin-bound Cse4 Mislocalization of Cse4 to noncentromeric regions with a preferential enrichment at promoter regions was observed in hir2∆ strains. We determined that Hir2 facilitates the interaction of Cse4 with Psh1, and that defects in Psh1-mediated proteolysis contribute to increased Cse4 stability and mislocalization of Cse4 in the hir2∆ strain. In summary, our genome-wide screen provides insights into pathways that regulate proteolysis of Cse4 and defines a novel role for the HIR complex in preventing mislocalization of Cse4 by facilitating proteolysis of Cse4, thereby promoting genome stability.

The bromodomain-containing protein Ibd1 links multiple chromatin-related protein complexes to highly expressed genes in Tetrahymena thermophila

Background

The chromatin remodelers of the SWI/SNF family are critical transcriptional regulators. Recognition of lysine acetylation through a bromodomain (BRD) component is key to SWI/SNF function; in most eukaryotes, this function is attributed to SNF2/Brg1.

Results

Using affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP–MS) we identified members of a SWI/SNF complex (SWI/SNF^Tt) in Tetrahymena thermophila. SWI/SNF^Tt is composed of 11 proteins, Snf5^Tt, Swi1^Tt, Swi3^Tt, Snf12^Tt, Brg1^Tt, two proteins with potential chromatin-interacting domains and four proteins without orthologs to SWI/SNF proteins in yeast or mammals. SWI/SNF^Tt subunits localize exclusively to the transcriptionally active macronucleus during growth and development, consistent with a role in transcription. While Tetrahymena Brg1 does not contain a BRD, our AP–MS results identified a BRD-containing SWI/SNF^Tt component, Ibd1 that associates with SWI/SNF^Tt during growth but not development. AP–MS analysis of epitope-tagged Ibd1 revealed it to be a subunit of several additional protein complexes, including putative SWR^Tt, and SAGA^Tt complexes as well as a putative H3K4-specific histone methyl transferase complex. Recombinant Ibd1 recognizes acetyl-lysine marks on histones correlated with active transcription. Consistent with our AP–MS and histone array data suggesting a role in regulation of gene expression, ChIP-Seq analysis of Ibd1 indicated that it primarily binds near promoters and within gene bodies of highly expressed genes during growth.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that through recognizing specific histones marks, Ibd1 targets active chromatin regions of highly expressed genes in Tetrahymena where it subsequently might coordinate the recruitment of several chromatin-remodeling complexes to regulate the transcriptional landscape of vegetatively growing Tetrahymena cells.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-018-0180-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Reporter-Based Synthetic Genetic Array Analysis: A Functional Genomics Approach for Investigating Transcript or Protein Abundance Using Fluorescent Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fluorescent reporter genes have long been used to quantify various cell features such as transcript and protein abundance. Here, we describe a method, reporter synthetic genetic array (R-SGA) analysis, which allows for the simultaneous quantification of any fluorescent protein readout in thousands of yeast strains using an automated pipeline. R-SGA combines a fluorescent reporter system with standard SGA analysis and can be used to examine any array-based strain collection available to the yeast community. This protocol describes the R-SGA methodology for screening different arrays of yeast mutants including the deletion collection, a collection of temperature-sensitive strains for the assessment of essential yeast genes and a collection of inducible overexpression strains. We also present an alternative pipeline for the analysis of R-SGA output strains using flow cytometry of cells in liquid culture. Data normalization for both pipelines is discussed.

Regulation of DNA replication-coupled histone gene expression

The expression of core histone genes is cell cycle regulated. Large amounts of histones are required to restore duplicated chromatin during S phase when DNA replication occurs. Over-expression and excess accumulation of histones outside S phase are toxic to cells and therefore cells need to restrict histone expression to S phase. Misregulation of histone gene expression leads to defects in cell cycle progression, genome stability, DNA damage response and transcriptional regulation. Here, we discussed the factors involved in histone gene regulation as well as the underlying mechanism. Understanding the histone regulation mechanism will shed lights on elucidating the side effects of certain cancer chemotherapeutic drugs and developing potential biomarkers for tumor cells.

The Candida albicans HIR histone chaperone regulates the yeast-to-hyphae transition by controlling the sensitivity to morphogenesis signals

Morphological plasticity such as the yeast-to-hyphae transition is a key virulence factor of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Hyphal formation is controlled by a multilayer regulatory network composed of environmental sensing, signaling, transcriptional modulators as well as chromatin modifications. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for the replication-independent HIR histone chaperone complex in fungal morphogenesis. HIR operates as a crucial modulator of hyphal development, since genetic ablation of the HIR complex subunit Hir1 decreases sensitivity to morphogenetic stimuli. Strikingly, HIR1-deficient cells display altered transcriptional amplitudes upon hyphal initiation, suggesting that Hir1 affects transcription by establishing transcriptional thresholds required for driving morphogenetic cell-fate decisions. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the transcription factor Ume6, which facilitates hyphal maintenance, rescues filamentation defects of hir1Δ/Δ cells, suggesting that Hir1 impacts the early phase of hyphal initiation. Hence, chromatin chaperone-mediated fine-tuning of transcription is crucial for driving morphogenetic conversions in the fungal pathogen C. albicans.

Proteins interacting with CreA and CreB in the carbon catabolite repression network in Aspergillus nidulans

In Aspergillus nidulans, carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is mediated by the global repressor protein CreA. The deubiquitinating enzyme CreB is a component of the CCR network. Genetic interaction was confirmed using a strain containing complete loss-of-function alleles of both creA and creB. No direct physical interaction was identified between tagged versions of CreA and CreB. To identify any possible protein(s) that may form a bridge between CreA and CreB, we purified both proteins from mycelia grown in media that result in repression or derepression. The purified proteins were analysed by LC/MS and identified using MaxQuant and Mascot databases. For both CreA and CreB, 47 proteins were identified in repressing and derepressing conditions. Orthologues of the co-purified proteins were identified in S. cerevisiae and humans. Gene ontology analyses of A. nidulans proteins and yeast and human orthologues were performed. Functional annotation analysis revealed that proteins that preferentially interact with CreA in repressing conditions include histones and histone transcription regulator 3 (Hir3). Proteins interacting with CreB tend to be involved in cellular transportation and organization. Similar findings were obtained using yeast and human orthologues, although the yeast background generated a number of other biological processes involving Mig1p which were not present in the A. nidulans or human background analyses. Hir3 was present in repressing conditions for CreA and in both growth conditions for CreB, suggesting that Hir3, or proteins interacting with Hir3, could be a possible target of CreB.

Synthetic Genetic Arrays: Automation of Yeast Genetics

Genome-sequencing efforts have led to great strides in the annotation of protein-coding genes and other genomic elements. The current challenge is to understand the functional role of each gene and how genes work together to modulate cellular processes. Genetic interactions define phenotypic relationships between genes and reveal the functional organization of a cell. Synthetic genetic array (SGA) methodology automates yeast genetics and enables large-scale and systematic mapping of genetic interaction networks in the budding yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae SGA facilitates construction of an output array of double mutants from an input array of single mutants through a series of replica pinning steps. Subsequent analysis of genetic interactions from SGA-derived mutants relies on accurate quantification of colony size, which serves as a proxy for fitness. Since its development, SGA has given rise to a variety of other experimental approaches for functional profiling of the yeast genome and has been applied in a multitude of other contexts, such as genome-wide screens for synthetic dosage lethality and integration with high-content screening for systematic assessment of morphology defects. SGA-like strategies can also be implemented similarly in a number of other cell types and organisms, includingSchizosaccharomyces pombe,Escherichia coli, Caenorhabditis elegans, and human cancer cell lines. The genetic networks emerging from these studies not only generate functional wiring diagrams but may also play a key role in our understanding of the complex relationship between genotype and phenotype.

Navigating yeast genome maintenance with functional genomics

Maintenance of genome integrity is a fundamental requirement of all organisms. To address this, organisms have evolved extremely faithful modes of replication, DNA repair and chromosome segregation to combat the deleterious effects of an unstable genome. Nonetheless, a small amount of genome instability is the driver of evolutionary change and adaptation, and thus a low level of instability is permitted in populations. While defects in genome maintenance almost invariably reduce fitness in the short term, they can create an environment where beneficial mutations are more likely to occur. The importance of this fact is clearest in the development of human cancer, where genome instability is a well-established enabling characteristic of carcinogenesis. This raises the crucial question: what are the cellular pathways that promote genome maintenance and what are their mechanisms? Work in model organisms, in particular the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has provided the global foundations of genome maintenance mechanisms in eukaryotes. The development of pioneering genomic tools inS. cerevisiae, such as the systematic creation of mutants in all nonessential and essential genes, has enabled whole-genome approaches to identifying genes with roles in genome maintenance. Here, we review the extensive whole-genome approaches taken in yeast, with an emphasis on functional genomic screens, to understand the genetic basis of genome instability, highlighting a range of genetic and cytological screening modalities. By revealing the biological pathways and processes regulating genome integrity, these analyses contribute to the systems-level map of the yeast cell and inform studies of human disease, especially cancer.

Lessons from yeast on emerging roles of the ATAD2 protein family in gene regulation and genome organization

ATAD2, a remarkably conserved, yet poorly characterized factor is found upregulated and associated with poor prognosis in a variety of independent cancers in human. Studies conducted on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATAD2 homologue, Yta7, are now indicating that the members of this family may primarily be regulators of chromatin dynamics and that their action on gene expression could only be one facet of their general activity. In this review, we present an overview of the literature on Yta7 and discuss the possibility of translating these findings into other organisms to further define the involvement of ATAD2 and other members of its family in regulating chromatin structure and function both in normal and pathological situations.

Maintenance of nucleosomal balance in cis by conserved AAA-ATPase Yta7

The extent of chromatin compaction is a fundamental driver of nuclear metabolism . Yta7 is a chromatin-associated AAA-ATPase, the human ortholog of which, ANCCA/ATAD2 transcriptionally activates pathways of malignancy in a broad range of cancers. Yta7 directly binds histone H3, and bulk chromatin exhibits increased nucleosomal density in yta7Δ mutants. The suppression of yta7Δ mutant growth and transcriptional phenotypes in budding yeast by decreased dosage of histones H3 and H4 indicates the acute sensitivity of cells to deviations in nucleosome spacing. This study investigated the global changes in chromatin structure upon Yta7 loss or overexpression and determined which of these effects reflected direct Yta7 activity. Metagene analysis of Yta7's genome-wide localization indicated peak binding of Yta7 just downstream of the transcription start site. Cells lacking Yta7 exhibited increased nucleosome density within genes downstream of the +1 nucleosome, as defined by decreased internucleosomal distance, resulting in progressively 5'-shifted nucleosomes within the gene. In contrast, cells overexpressing Yta7 displayed profound 3'-shifts in nucleosome position and reduced nucleosome density within genes. Importantly, Yta7-bound regions were enriched for nucleosomal shifts, indicating that Yta7 acted locally to modulate nucleosome spacing. The phenotype of cells lacking both Yta7 and Rtt106, the histone H3/H4 chaperone, indicated that Yta7 functions in both Rtt106-dependent and Rtt106-independent ways to modulate nucleosome spacing within genes. This study suggested that Yta7 affected nucleosome density throughout the gene by both blocking Rtt106 from entering the gene, as shown previously at HTA1, and facilitating the loss of nucleosomes from the 5'-end.

Cell cycle-regulated oscillator coordinates core histone gene transcription through histone acetylation

DNA replication occurs during the synthetic (S) phase of the eukaryotic cell cycle and features a dramatic induction of histone gene expression for concomitant chromatin assembly. Ectopic production of core histones outside of S phase is toxic, underscoring the critical importance of regulatory pathways that ensure proper expression of histone genes. Several regulators of histone gene expression in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are known, yet the key oscillator responsible for restricting gene expression to S phase has remained elusive. Here, we show that suppressor of Ty (Spt)10, a putative histone acetyltransferase, and its binding partner Spt21 are key determinants of S-phase-specific histone gene expression. We show that Spt21 abundance is restricted to S phase in part by anaphase promoting complex Cdc20-homologue 1 (APC(Cdh1)) and that it is recruited to histone gene promoters in S phase by Spt10. There, Spt21-Spt10 enables the recruitment of a cascade of regulators, including histone chaperones and the histone-acetyltransferase general control nonderepressible (Gcn) 5, which we hypothesize lead to histone acetylation and consequent transcription activation.

A chromatin-based mechanism for limiting divergent noncoding transcription

In addition to their annotated transcript, many eukaryotic mRNA promoters produce divergent noncoding transcripts. To define determinants of divergent promoter directionality, we used genomic replacement experiments. Sequences within noncoding transcripts specified their degradation pathways, and functional protein-coding transcripts could be produced in the divergent direction. To screen for mutants affecting the ratio of transcription in each direction, a bidirectional fluorescent protein reporter construct was introduced into the yeast nonessential gene deletion collection. We identified chromatin assembly as an important regulator of divergent transcription. Mutations in the CAF-I complex caused genome-wide derepression of nascent divergent noncoding transcription. In opposition to the CAF-I chromatin assembly pathway, H3K56 hyperacetylation, together with the nucleosome remodeler SWI/SNF, facilitated divergent transcription by promoting rapid nucleosome turnover. We propose that these chromatin-mediated effects control divergent transcription initiation, complementing downstream pathways linked to early termination and degradation of the noncoding RNAs.

Rapid identification of mRNA processing defects with a novel single-cell yeast reporter

It has become increasingly evident that gene expression processes in eukaryotes involve communication and coordination between many complex, independent macromolecular machines. To query these processes and to explore the potential relationships between them in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we designed a versatile reporter using multicolor high-throughput flow cytometry. Due to its design, this single reporter exhibits a distinctive signature for many defects in gene expression including transcription, histone modification, pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA export, nonsense-mediated decay, and mRNA degradation. Analysis of the reporter in 4967 nonessential yeast genes revealed striking phenotypic overlaps between chromatin remodeling, histone modification, and pre-mRNA splicing. Additionally, we developed a copper-inducible reporter, with which we demonstrate that 5-fluorouracil mimics the mRNA decay phenotype of cells lacking the 3'-5' exonuclease Rrp6p. Our reporter is capable of performing high-throughput, rapid, and large-scale screens to identify and characterize genetic and chemical perturbations of the major eukaryotic gene expression processes.

Nucleosome loss leads to global transcriptional up-regulation and genomic instability during yeast aging

All eukaryotic cells divide a finite number of times, yet the mechanistic basis of replicative aging remains unclear. Here, Tyler and colleagues investigate the effects of aging on chromatin structure and DNA instability in budding yeast. The use of spike-in controls reveals a global reduction in nucleosome occupancy during aging. Histone loss during aging leads to transcriptional induction of all yeast genes. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate elevated levels of DNA damage, retrotransposition, large-scale chromosome rearrangement, and translocation during aging.

All eukaryotic cells divide a finite number of times, although the mechanistic basis of this replicative aging remains unclear. Replicative aging is accompanied by a reduction in histone protein levels, and this is a cause of aging in budding yeast. Here we show that nucleosome occupancy decreased by 50% across the whole genome during replicative aging using spike-in controlled micrococcal nuclease digestion followed by sequencing. Furthermore, nucleosomes became less well positioned or moved to sequences predicted to better accommodate histone octamers. The loss of histones during aging led to transcriptional induction of all yeast genes. Genes that are normally repressed by promoter nucleosomes were most induced, accompanied by preferential nucleosome loss from their promoters. We also found elevated levels of DNA strand breaks, mitochondrial DNA transfer to the nuclear genome, large-scale chromosomal alterations, translocations, and retrotransposition during aging.

A global requirement for the HIR complex in the assembly of chromatin

Due to its extensive length, DNA is packaged into a protective chromatin structure known as the nucleosome. In order to carry out various cellular functions, nucleosomes must be disassembled, allowing access to the underlying DNA, and subsequently reassembled on completion of these processes. The assembly and disassembly of nucleosomes is dependent on the function of histone modifiers, chromatin remodelers and histone chaperones. In this review, we discuss the roles of an evolutionarily conserved histone chaperone known as the HIR/HIRA complex. In S. cerevisiae, the HIR complex is made up of the proteins Hir1, Hir2, Hir3 and Hpc2, which collectively act in transcriptional regulation, elongation, gene silencing, cellular senescence and even aging. This review presents an overview of the role of the HIR complex, in yeast as well as other organisms, in each of these processes, in order to give a better understanding of how nucleosome assembly is imperative for cellular homeostasis and genomic integrity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Histone chaperones and Chromatin assembly.

Regulation of histone gene transcription in yeast

Histones are the primary protein component of chromatin, the mixture of DNA and proteins that packages the genetic material in eukaryotes. Large amounts of histones are required during the S phase of the cell cycle when genome replication occurs. However, ectopic expression of histones during other cell cycle phases is toxic; thus, histone expression is restricted to the S phase and is tightly regulated at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational. In this review, we discuss mechanisms of regulation of histone gene expression with emphasis on the transcriptional regulation of the replication-dependent histone genes in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Characterization of two different Asf1 histone chaperones with distinct cellular localizations and functions in Trypanosoma brucei

The anti-silencing function protein 1 (Asf1) is a chaperone that forms a complex with histones H3 and H4 facilitating dimer deposition and removal from chromatin. Most eukaryotes possess two different Asf1 chaperones but their specific functions are still unknown. Trypanosomes, a group of early-diverged eukaryotes, also have two, but more divergent Asf1 paralogs than Asf1 of higher eukaryotes. To unravel possible different functions, we characterized the two Asf1 proteins in Trypanosoma brucei. Asf1A is mainly localized in the cytosol but translocates to the nucleus in S phase. In contrast, Asf1B is predominantly localized in the nucleus, as described for other organisms. Cytosolic Asf1 knockdown results in accumulation of cells in early S phase of the cell cycle, whereas nuclear Asf1 knockdown arrests cells in S/G2 phase. Overexpression of cytosolic Asf1 increases the levels of histone H3 and H4 acetylation. In contrast to cytosolic Asf1, overexpression of nuclear Asf1 causes less pronounced growth defects in parasites exposed to genotoxic agents, prompting a function in chromatin remodeling in response to DNA damage. Only the cytosolic Asf1 interacts with recombinant H3/H4 dimers in vitro. These findings denote the early appearance in evolution of distinguishable functions for the two Asf1 chaperons in trypanosomes.

Conserved Asf1-importin β physical interaction in growth and sexual development in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila

How the eukaryotic cell specifies distinct chromatin domains is a central problem in molecular biology. The ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila features a separation of structurally and functionally distinct germ-line and somatic chromatin into two distinct nuclei, the micronucleus (MIC) and macronucleus (MAC) respectively. To address questions about how distinct chromatin states are assembled in the MAC and MIC, we have initiated studies to define protein-protein interactions for T. thermophila chromatin-related proteins. Affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry analysis of the conserved Asf1 histone chaperone in T. thermophila revealed that it forms a complex with an importin β, ImpB6. Furthermore, these proteins co-localized to both the MAC and MIC in growth and development. We suggest that newly synthesized histones H3 and H4 in T. thermophila are transported via Asf1-ImpB6 in an evolutionarily conserved pathway to both nuclei where they then enter nucleus-specific chromatin assembly pathways. These studies set the stage for further use of functional proteomics to elucidate details of the characterization and functional analysis of the unique chromatin domains in T. thermophila.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Asf1 is an evolutionarily conserved chaperone of H3 and H4 histones that functions in replication dependent and independent chromatin assembly. Although Asf1 has been well studied in humans and yeast (members of the Opisthokonta lineage of eukaryotes), questions remain concerning its mechanism of function. To obtain additional insight into the Asf1 function we have initiated a proteomic analysis in the ciliate protozoan T. thermophila, a member of the Alveolata lineage of eukaryotes. Our results suggest that an evolutionarily conserved function of Asf1 is mediating the nuclear transport of newly synthesized histones H3 and H4.

The carboxyl terminus of Rtt109 functions in chaperone control of histone acetylation

Rtt109 is a fungal histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that catalyzes histone H3 acetylation functionally associated with chromatin assembly. Rtt109-mediated H3 acetylation involves two histone chaperones, Asf1 and Vps75. In vivo, Rtt109 requires both chaperones for histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) but only Asf1 for full H3K56ac. In vitro, Rtt109-Vps75 catalyzes both H3K9ac and H3K56ac, whereas Rtt109-Asf1 catalyzes only H3K56ac. In this study, we extend the in vitro chaperone-associated substrate specificity of Rtt109 by showing that it acetylates vertebrate linker histone in the presence of Vps75 but not Asf1. In addition, we demonstrate that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae a short basic sequence at the carboxyl terminus of Rtt109 (Rtt109C) is required for H3K9ac in vivo. Furthermore, through in vitro and in vivo studies, we demonstrate that Rtt109C is required for optimal H3K56ac by the HAT in the presence of full-length Asf1. When Rtt109C is absent, Vps75 becomes important for H3K56ac by Rtt109 in vivo. In addition, we show that lysine 290 (K290) in Rtt109 is required in vivo for Vps75 to enhance the activity of the HAT. This is the first in vivo evidence for a role for Vps75 in H3K56ac. Taken together, our results contribute to a better understanding of chaperone control of Rtt109-mediated H3 acetylation.

Cell-cycle perturbations suppress the slow-growth defect of spt10Δ mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Spt10 is a putative acetyltransferase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that directly activates the transcription of histone genes. Deletion of SPT10 causes a severe slow growth phenotype, showing that Spt10 is critical for normal cell division. To gain insight into the function of Spt10, we identified mutations that impair or improve the growth of spt10 null (spt10Δ) mutants. Mutations that cause lethality in combination with spt10Δ include particular components of the SAGA complex as well as asf1Δ and hir1Δ. Partial suppressors of the spt10Δ growth defect include mutations that perturb cell-cycle progression through the G1/S transition, S phase, and G2/M. Consistent with these results, slowing of cell-cycle progression by treatment with hydroxyurea or growth on medium containing glycerol as the carbon source also partially suppresses the spt10Δ slow-growth defect. In addition, mutations that impair the Lsm1-7-Pat1 complex, which regulates decapping of polyadenylated mRNAs, also partially suppress the spt10Δ growth defect. Interestingly, suppression of the spt10Δ growth defect is not accompanied by a restoration of normal histone mRNA levels. These findings suggest that Spt10 has multiple roles during cell division.

Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome-mediated proteolysis of Ams2 in the G1 phase ensures the coupling of histone gene expression to DNA replication in fission yeast

Histone transcription and deposition are tightly regulated with the DNA replication cycle to maintain genetic integrity. Ams2 is a GATA-containing transcription factor responsible for core histone gene expression and for CENP-A loading at centromeres in fission yeast. Ams2 levels are cell cycle-regulated, and after the S phase Ams2 is degraded by the SCF(pof3) ubiquitin ligase; however, the regulation of Ams2 in G(1) or meiosis is poorly understood. Here we show that another ubiquitin ligase, the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) targets Ams2 for destruction in G(1). Ubiquitylation and destruction of Ams2 is dependent upon a coactivator Cdh1/Ste9 and the KEN box in the C terminus of Ams2. We also find that stabilization of Ams2 sensitizes cells to the anti-microtubule drug thiabendazole and the histone deacetylase inhibitor tricostatin A when a histone deacetylase gene hst4 is deleted, suggesting that histone acetylation together with Ams2 stability ensures the coupling of mitosis to DNA replication. Furthermore, in meiosis, the failure of the APC/C-mediated destruction of Ams2 is deleterious, and pre-meiotic DNA replication is barely completed. These data suggest that Ams2 destruction via both the APC/C and the SCF ubiquitin ligases underlies the coordination of histone expression and DNA replication.

Global gene deletion analysis exploring yeast filamentous growth

The dimorphic switch from a single-cell budding yeast to a filamentous form enables Saccharomyces cerevisiae to forage for nutrients and the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans to invade human tissues and evade the immune system. We constructed a genome-wide set of targeted deletion alleles and introduced them into a filamentous S. cerevisiae strain, Σ1278b. We identified genes involved in morphologically distinct forms of filamentation: haploid invasive growth, biofilm formation, and diploid pseudohyphal growth. Unique genes appear to underlie each program, but we also found core genes with general roles in filamentous growth, including MFG1 (YDL233w), whose product binds two morphogenetic transcription factors, Flo8 and Mss11, and functions as a critical transcriptional regulator of filamentous growth in both S. cerevisiae and C. albicans.

Regulation of histone gene expression in budding yeast

We discuss the regulation of the histone genes of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These include genes encoding the major core histones (H3, H4, H2A, and H2B), histone H1 (HHO1), H2AZ (HTZ1), and centromeric H3 (CSE4). Histone production is regulated during the cell cycle because the cell must replicate both its DNA during S phase and its chromatin. Consequently, the histone genes are activated in late G1 to provide sufficient core histones to assemble the replicated genome into chromatin. The major core histone genes are subject to both positive and negative regulation. The primary control system is positive, mediated by the histone gene-specific transcription activator, Spt10, through the histone upstream activating sequences (UAS) elements, with help from the major G1/S-phase activators, SBF (Swi4 cell cycle box binding factor) and perhaps MBF (MluI cell cycle box binding factor). Spt10 binds specifically to the histone UAS elements and contains a putative histone acetyltransferase domain. The negative system involves negative regulatory elements in the histone promoters, the RSC chromatin-remodeling complex, various histone chaperones [the histone regulatory (HIR) complex, Asf1, and Rtt106], and putative sequence-specific factors. The SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex links the positive and negative systems. We propose that the negative system is a damping system that modulates the amount of transcription activated by Spt10 and SBF. We hypothesize that the negative system mediates negative feedback on the histone genes by histone proteins through the level of saturation of histone chaperones with histone. Thus, the negative system could communicate the degree of nucleosome assembly during DNA replication and the need to shut down the activating system under replication-stress conditions. We also discuss post-transcriptional regulation and dosage compensation of the histone genes.

Direct interplay among histones, histone chaperones, and a chromatin boundary protein in the control of histone gene expression

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the histone chaperone Rtt106 binds newly synthesized histone proteins and mediates their delivery into chromatin during transcription, replication, and silencing. Rtt106 is also recruited to histone gene regulatory regions by the HIR histone chaperone complex to ensure S-phase-specific expression. Here we showed that this Rtt106:HIR complex included Asf1 and histone proteins. Mutations in Rtt106 that reduced histone binding reduced Rtt106 enrichment at histone genes, leading to their increased transcription. Deletion of the chromatin boundary element Yta7 led to increased Rtt106:H3 binding, increased Rtt106 enrichment at histone gene regulatory regions, and decreased histone gene transcription at the HTA1-HTB1 locus. These results suggested a unique regulatory mechanism in which Rtt106 sensed the level of histone proteins to maintain the proper level of histone gene transcription. The role of these histone chaperones and Yta7 differed markedly among the histone gene loci, including the two H3-H4 histone gene pairs. Defects in silencing in rtt106 mutants could be partially accounted for by Rtt106-mediated changes in histone gene repression. These studies suggested that feedback mediated by histone chaperone complexes plays a pivotal role in regulating histone gene transcription.

H2B Tyr37 phosphorylation suppresses expression of replication-dependent core histone genes

Histone gene transcription is actively downregulated after completion of DNA synthesis to avoid overproduction. However, the precise mechanistic details of the cessation of histone mRNA synthesis are not clear. We found that histone H2B phosphorylation at Tyr37 occurs upstream of histone cluster 1, Hist1, during the late S phase. We identified WEE1 as the kinase that phosphorylates H2B at Tyr37. Loss of expression or inhibition of WEE1 kinase abrogated H2B Tyr37 phosphorylation with a concomitant increase in histone transcription in yeast and mammalian cells. H2B Tyr37 phosphorylation excluded binding of the transcriptional coactivator NPAT and RNA polymerase II and recruited the histone chaperone HIRA upstream of the Hist1 cluster. Taken together, our data show a previously unknown and evolutionarily conserved function for WEE1 kinase as an epigenetic modulator that marks chromatin with H2B Tyr37 phosphorylation, thereby inhibiting the transcription of multiple histone genes to lower the burden on the histone mRNA turnover machinery.

Systematic dissection of roles for chromatin regulators in a yeast stress response

Systematic functional and mapping studies of histone modifications in yeast show that most chromatin regulators are more important for dynamic transcriptional reprogramming than for steady-state gene expression.

Packaging of eukaryotic genomes into chromatin has wide-ranging effects on gene transcription. Curiously, it is commonly observed that deletion of a global chromatin regulator affects expression of only a limited subset of genes bound to or modified by the regulator in question. However, in many single-gene studies it has become clear that chromatin regulators often do not affect steady-state transcription, but instead are required for normal transcriptional reprogramming by environmental cues. We therefore have systematically investigated the effects of 83 histone mutants, and 119 gene deletion mutants, on induction/repression dynamics of 170 transcripts in response to diamide stress in yeast. Importantly, we find that chromatin regulators play far more pronounced roles during gene induction/repression than they do in steady-state expression. Furthermore, by jointly analyzing the substrates (histone mutants) and enzymes (chromatin modifier deletions) we identify specific interactions between histone modifications and their regulators. Combining these functional results with genome-wide mapping of several histone marks in the same time course, we systematically investigated the correspondence between histone modification occurrence and function. We followed up on one pathway, finding that Set1-dependent H3K4 methylation primarily acts as a gene repressor during multiple stresses, specifically at genes involved in ribosome biosynthesis. Set1-dependent repression of ribosomal genes occurs via distinct pathways for ribosomal protein genes and ribosomal biogenesis genes, which can be separated based on genetic requirements for repression and based on chromatin changes during gene repression. Together, our dynamic studies provide a rich resource for investigating chromatin regulation, and identify a significant role for the “activating” mark H3K4me3 in gene repression.

Chromatin packaging of eukaryotic genomes has wideranging, yet poorly understood, effects on gene regulation. Curiously, many histone modifications occur on the majority of genes, yet their loss typically affects a small subset of those genes. Here, we examine gene expression defects in 200 chromatin-related mutants during a stress response, finding that chromatin regulators have far greater effects on the dynamics of gene expression than on the steady-state transcription. By grouping mutants according to their shared defects in the stress response, we systematically recover known chromatin-related complexes and pathways, and predict several novel pathways. Finally, by integrating genome-wide changes in the locations of five prominent histone modifications during the stress response with our functional data, we uncover a novel role for the “activating” histone modification H3K4me3 in gene repression. Surprisingly, H3K4 methylation appears to act in conjunction with H3S10 phosphorylation in the repression of ribosomal biosynthesis genes. Repression of ribosomal protein genes and ribosomal RNA maturation genes occur via distinct pathways. Our results show that steady-state studies miss a great deal of important chromatin biology, and identify a surprising role for H3K4 methylation in ribosomal gene repression in yeast.

Exploring the yeast acetylome using functional genomics

Lysine acetylation is a dynamic posttranslational modification with a well-defined role in regulating histones. The impact of acetylation on other cellular functions remains relatively uncharacterized. We explored the budding yeast acetylome with a functional genomics approach, assessing the effects of gene overexpression in the absence of lysine deacetylases (KDACs). We generated a network of 463 synthetic dosage lethal (SDL) interactions involving class I and II KDACs, revealing many cellular pathways regulated by different KDACs. A biochemical survey of genes interacting with the KDAC RPD3 identified 72 proteins acetylated in vivo. In-depth analysis of one of these proteins, Swi4, revealed a role for acetylation in G1-specific gene expression. Acetylation of Swi4 regulates interaction with its partner Swi6, both components of the SBF transcription factor. This study expands our view of the yeast acetylome, demonstrates the utility of functional genomic screens for exploring enzymatic pathways, and provides functional information that can be mined for future studies.