Weak but uniform enrichment of the histone variant macroH2A1 along the inactive X chromosome

Mol Cell Biol. 2009 Jan;29(1):150-6. doi: 10.1128/MCB.00997-08. Epub 2008 Oct 20.

Abstract

We studied the enrichment and distribution of the histone variant mH2A1 in the condensed inactive X (Xi) chromosome. By using highly specific antibodies against mH2A1 and stable HEK 293 cell lines expressing either green fluorescent protein (GFP)-mH2A1 or GFP-H2A, we found that the Xi chromosome contains approximately 1.5-fold more mH2A1 than the autosomes. To determine the in vivo distribution of mH2A1 along the X chromosome, we used a native chromatin immunoprecipitation-on-chip technique. DNA isolated from mH2A1-immunoprecipitated nucleosomes from either male or female mouse liver were hybridized to tiling microarrays covering 5 kb around most promoters or the entire X chromosome. The data show that mH2A1 is uniformly distributed across the entire Xi chromosome. Interestingly, a stronger mH2A1 enrichment along the pseudoautosomal X chromosome region was observed in both sexes. Our results indicate a potential role for macroH2A in large-scale chromosome structure and genome stability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Chickens
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Histones / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nucleosomes / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Transport
  • X Chromosome / metabolism*
  • X Chromosome Inactivation*

Substances

  • Histones
  • Nucleosomes