SWI/SNF-like chromatin remodeling factor Fun30 supports point centromere function in S. cerevisiae

PLoS Genet. 2012 Sep;8(9):e1002974. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002974. Epub 2012 Sep 27.

Abstract

Budding yeast centromeres are sequence-defined point centromeres and are, unlike in many other organisms, not embedded in heterochromatin. Here we show that Fun30, a poorly understood SWI/SNF-like chromatin remodeling factor conserved in humans, promotes point centromere function through the formation of correct chromatin architecture at centromeres. Our determination of the genome-wide binding and nucleosome positioning properties of Fun30 shows that this enzyme is consistently enriched over centromeres and that a majority of CENs show Fun30-dependent changes in flanking nucleosome position and/or CEN core micrococcal nuclease accessibility. Fun30 deletion leads to defects in histone variant Htz1 occupancy genome-wide, including at and around most centromeres. FUN30 genetically interacts with CSE4, coding for the centromere-specific variant of histone H3, and counteracts the detrimental effect of transcription through centromeres on chromosome segregation and suppresses transcriptional noise over centromere CEN3. Previous work has shown a requirement for fission yeast and mammalian homologs of Fun30 in heterochromatin assembly. As centromeres in budding yeast are not embedded in heterochromatin, our findings indicate a direct role of Fun30 in centromere chromatin by promoting correct chromatin architecture.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Centromere / genetics*
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / genetics
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone* / genetics
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone* / metabolism
  • Chromosome Segregation / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins* / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins* / metabolism
  • Heterochromatin / genetics
  • Histones / genetics
  • Humans
  • Kinetochores
  • Nucleosomes / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors* / genetics
  • Transcription Factors* / metabolism

Substances

  • CSE4 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • FUN30 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Heterochromatin
  • Histones
  • Nucleosomes
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Transcription Factors