Project description:Chromosomes and plasmids are two forms of genetic carriers. Exogenous yeast artificial chromosomes are also considered as yeast centromeric plasmids in many cases. Here, we used state-of-the-art sequencing technologies to comprehensively profile the genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional and proteomic characteristics of an exogenous data-carrying chromosome. We found that the data-carrying DNA formed active chromatin with high chromatin accessibility and H3K4 tri-methylation levels. We also confirmed that the data-carrying chromosome had a circular shape in the nucleus and was arranged in the Rabl configuration, which may contribute to the self-replication and haploidy of the chromosome in vivo. The data-carrying chromosome displayed highly pervasive transcriptional ability and transcribed hundreds of non-coding RNAs. In summary, this work explores the chromatin epigenetic state, chromatin structure and transcriptional landscape of an exogenous artificial chromosome. The results demonstrated that the exogenous artificial chromosome did form a chromatin structure and was not a naked and incompact plasmid, which strengthen our understanding of artificial chromosomes.
Project description:Chromosomes and plasmids are two forms of genetic carriers. Exogenous yeast artificial chromosomes are also considered as yeast centromeric plasmids in many cases. Here, we used state-of-the-art sequencing technologies to comprehensively profile the genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional and proteomic characteristics of an exogenous data-carrying chromosome. We found that the data-carrying DNA formed active chromatin with high chromatin accessibility and H3K4 tri-methylation levels. We also confirmed that the data-carrying chromosome had a circular shape in the nucleus and was arranged in the Rabl configuration, which may contribute to the self-replication and haploidy of the chromosome in vivo. The data-carrying chromosome displayed highly pervasive transcriptional ability and transcribed hundreds of non-coding RNAs. In summary, this work explores the chromatin epigenetic state, chromatin structure and transcriptional landscape of an exogenous artificial chromosome. The results demonstrated that the exogenous artificial chromosome did form a chromatin structure and was not a naked and incompact plasmid, which strengthen our understanding of artificial chromosomes.
Project description:The biorientation of sister chromatids on the mitotic spindle, essential for accurate sister chromatid segregation, relies on critical centromere components including cohesin, the centromere-specific H3 variant CENP-A, and centromeric DNA. Centromeric DNA is highly variable between chromosomes yet must accomplish a similar function. Moreover, how the 50 nm cohesin ring, proposed to encircle sister chromatids, accommodates inter-sister centromeric distances of hundreds of nanometers on the metaphase spindle is a conundrum. Insight into the 3D organization of centromere components would help resolve how centromeres function on the mitotic spindle. We used ChIP-seq and super-resolution microscopy to examine the geometry of essential centromeric components on human chromosomes. ChIP-seq of SA1, SA2, and Rad21 in human cells demonstrates that cohesin subunits are depleted in -satellite arrays where CENP-A nucleosomes and kinetochores assemble. Cohesin is instead enriched at pericentromeric DNA. Structured illumination microscopy of sister centromeres is consistent, revealing a non-overlapping pattern of CENP-A and cohesin.
Project description:Centromeres are the regions of eukaryotic chromosomes where kinetochores are assembled and direct the correct segregation of chromosomes. Active centromeres are defined by presence of nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, which alone is sufficient to direct kinetochore assembly. Once assembled at a location CENP-A chromatin and the kinetochore is maintained at that location though a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity, it is normally associated with specific sequences such as human alpha satellite arrays. Such analyses suggest that properties of centromeric DNA itself may favour assembly of CENP-A rather than H3 nucleosomes. To investigate the innate properties of centromeric DNA we have examined histone dynamics on this DNA assembled in CENP-A chromatin at endogenous centromeres and when assembled only in H3 chromatin at an ectopic location. We demonstrate that H3 occupancy on centromeric DNA is innately low while H3 turnover is high. Moreover, even at an ectopic location centromeric DNA programs H3 deposition in S phase and its eviction during G2 when CENP-A is otherwise deposited. G2 accumulation of RNAPII on centromeric DNA during G2 is consistent with transcription-coupled destabilisation of H3 nucleosomes to favour CENP-A deposition.
Project description:Centromeres are the regions of eukaryotic chromosomes where kinetochores are assembled and direct the correct segregation of chromosomes. Active centromeres are defined by presence of nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, which alone is sufficient to direct kinetochore assembly. Once assembled at a location CENP-A chromatin and the kinetochore is maintained at that location though a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity, it is normally associated with specific sequences such as human alpha satellite arrays. Such analyses suggest that properties of centromeric DNA itself may favour assembly of CENP-A rather than H3 nucleosomes. To investigate the innate properties of centromeric DNA we have examined histone dynamics on this DNA assembled in CENP-A chromatin at endogenous centromeres and when assembled only in H3 chromatin at an ectopic location. We demonstrate that H3 occupancy on centromeric DNA is innately low while H3 turnover is high. Moreover, even at an ectopic location centromeric DNA programs H3 deposition in S phase and its eviction during G2 when CENP-A is otherwise deposited. G2 accumulation of RNAPII on centromeric DNA during G2 is consistent with transcription-coupled destabilisation of H3 nucleosomes to favour CENP-A deposition.
Project description:Centromeres are the regions of eukaryotic chromosomes where kinetochores are assembled and direct the correct segregation of chromosomes. Active centromeres are defined by presence of nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, which alone is sufficient to direct kinetochore assembly. Once assembled at a location CENP-A chromatin and the kinetochore is maintained at that location though a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity, it is normally associated with specific sequences such as human alpha satellite arrays. Such analyses suggest that properties of centromeric DNA itself may favour assembly of CENP-A rather than H3 nucleosomes. To investigate the innate properties of centromeric DNA we have examined histone dynamics on this DNA assembled in CENP-A chromatin at endogenous centromeres and when assembled only in H3 chromatin at an ectopic location. We demonstrate that H3 occupancy on centromeric DNA is innately low while H3 turnover is high. Moreover, even at an ectopic location centromeric DNA programs H3 deposition in S phase and its eviction during G2 when CENP-A is otherwise deposited. G2 accumulation of RNAPII on centromeric DNA during G2 is consistent with transcription-coupled destabilisation of H3 nucleosomes to favour CENP-A deposition.
Project description:Centromeres are the regions of eukaryotic chromosomes where kinetochores are assembled and direct the correct segregation of chromosomes. Active centromeres are defined by presence of nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, which alone is sufficient to direct kinetochore assembly. Once assembled at a location CENP-A chromatin and the kinetochore is maintained at that location though a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity, it is normally associated with specific sequences such as human alpha satellite arrays. Such analyses suggest that properties of centromeric DNA itself may favour assembly of CENP-A rather than H3 nucleosomes. To investigate the innate properties of centromeric DNA we have examined histone dynamics on this DNA assembled in CENP-A chromatin at endogenous centromeres and when assembled only in H3 chromatin at an ectopic location. We demonstrate that H3 occupancy on centromeric DNA is innately low while H3 turnover is high. Moreover, even at an ectopic location centromeric DNA programs H3 deposition in S phase and its eviction during G2 when CENP-A is otherwise deposited. G2 accumulation of RNAPII on centromeric DNA during G2 is consistent with transcription-coupled destabilisation of H3 nucleosomes to favour CENP-A deposition.
Project description:The centromere is a defining feature of eukaryotic chromosomes and is essential for the segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Centromeres are universally marked by the histone variant cenH3 and are restricted to specialized chromatin that most commonly localized to a single position along the chromosome. However, the DNA on which centromeric nucleosomes assemble is not conserved and varies greatly in size and composition. It ranges from genetically defined point centromeres that assemble a single cenH3-containing nucleosome to epigenetically defined regional centromeres embedded in megabases of tandemly repeated DNA to holocentromeres that extend along the length of the entire chromosomes. The organization of regional and holocentric centromeres has so far been elusive, as the precise locations of cenH3-containing sequences could not be determined. Our results show that the point centromere is the basic unit of holocentromeres and provide a basis for understanding how centromeric chromatin is maintained. We use high-resolution mapping of cenH3-associated DNA to show that Caenorhabditids elegans holocentromeres are organized as dispersed but discretely localized point centromeres.
Project description:To investigate how exogenous DNA concatemerizes to form episomal artificial chromosomes (ACs), acquire equal segregation ability and maintain stable holocentromeres, we injected DNA sequences with different features, including sequences that are repetitive or complex, and sequences with different AT-contents, into the gonad of Caenorhabditis elegans to form ACs in embryos, and monitored AC mitotic segregation. We demonstrated that AT-poor sequences (26% AT-content) delayed the acquisition of segregation competency of newly formed ACs. We also co-injected fragmented Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic DNA, differentially expressed fluorescent markers and ubiquitously expressed selectable marker to construct a less repetitive, more complex AC. We sequenced the whole genome of a strain which propagates this AC through multiple generations, and de novo assembled the AC sequences. We discovered CENP-AHCP-3 domains/peaks are distributed along the AC, as in endogenous chromosomes, suggesting a holocentric architecture. We found that CENP-AHCP-3 binds to the unexpressed marker genes and many fragmented yeast sequences, but is excluded in the yeast extremely high-AT-content centromeric and mitochondrial DNA (> 83% AT-content) on the AC. We identified A-rich motifs in CENP-AHCP-3 domains/peaks on the AC and on endogenous chromosomes, which have some similarity with each other and similarity to some non-germline transcription factor binding sites.
Project description:Specification and propagation of the centromeres of eukaryotic chromosomes is determined by epigenetic mechanisms. Unfortunately, the epigenetic characteristics of centromeric DNA and chromatin are difficult to define because the centromeres are composed of highly repetitive DNA sequences in most eukaryotic species. Several rice centromeres have been fully sequenced, making rice an excellent model for centromere research. We conducted genome-wide mapping of cytosine methylation using methylcytosine immunoprecipitation combined with Illumina sequencing. The DNA sequences in the core domains of rice Cen4, Cen5, and Cen8 showed elevated methylation levels compared to the sequences in the pericentromeric regions. In addition, elevated methylation levels were associated with the DNA sequences in the CENH3-binding subdomains compared to the sequences in the flanking H3 subdomains. In contrast, the centromeric domain of Cen11, which is composed exclusively of centromeric satellite DNA, is hypomethylated compared to the pericentromeric domains. Thus, the DNA sequences associated with functional centromeres can be either hypomethylated or hypermethylated. The methylation patterns of centromeric DNA appear to be correlated with the composition of the associated DNA sequences. We propose that both hypomethylation and hypermethylation of CENH3-associated DNA sequences can serve as epigenetic marks to distinguish where CENH3 deposition will occur within the surrounding H3 chromatin. mCIP-seq of one sample of rice seedling