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Prevo B, Earnshaw WC. DNA packaging by molecular motors: from bacteriophage to human chromosomes. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00740-y. [PMID: 38886215 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00740-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Dense packaging of genomic DNA is crucial for organismal survival, as DNA length always far exceeds the dimensions of the cells that contain it. Organisms, therefore, use sophisticated machineries to package their genomes. These systems range across kingdoms from a single ultra-powerful rotary motor that spools the DNA into a bacteriophage head, to hundreds of thousands of relatively weak molecular motors that coordinate the compaction of mitotic chromosomes in eukaryotic cells. Recent technological advances, such as DNA proximity-based sequencing approaches, polymer modelling and in vitro reconstitution of DNA loop extrusion, have shed light on the biological mechanisms driving DNA organization in different systems. Here, we discuss DNA packaging in bacteriophage, bacteria and eukaryotic cells, which, despite their extreme variation in size, structure and genomic content, all rely on the action of molecular motors to package their genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Prevo
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - William C Earnshaw
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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2
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Liu N, Qiang W, Jordan P, Marko J, Qiao H. Cell-cycle and Age-Related Modulations in Mouse Chromosome Stiffness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583771. [PMID: 38559262 PMCID: PMC10979861 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The intricate structure of chromosomes is complex, and many aspects of chromosome configuration/organization remain to be fully understood. Measuring chromosome stiffness can provide valuable insights into their structure. However, the nature of chromosome stiffness, whether static or dynamic, remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed chromosome stiffness in MI and MII oocytes. We revealed that MI oocytes had a ten-fold increase in stiffness compared to mitotic chromosomes, whereas chromosome stiffness in MII oocytes was relatively low chromosome. We then investigated the contribution of meiosis-specific cohesin complexes to chromosome stiffness in MI and MII oocytes. Surprisingly, the Young's modulus of chromosomes from the three meiosis-specific cohesin mutants did not exhibit significant differences compared to the wild type, indicating that these proteins may not play a substantial role in determining chromosome stiffness. Additionally, our findings revealed an age-related increase in chromosome stiffness in MI oocytes. Age correlates with elevated DNA damage levels, so we investigated the impact of etoposide-induced DNA damage on chromosome stiffness, discovering a reduction in stiffness in response to such damage in MI oocytes. Overall, our study underscores the dynamic nature of chromosome stiffness, subject to changes influenced by the cell cycle and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Wenan Qiang
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Philip Jordan
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Departments, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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3
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Spicer MFD, Gerlich DW. The material properties of mitotic chromosomes. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 81:102617. [PMID: 37279615 PMCID: PMC10448380 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomes transform during the cell cycle, allowing transcription and replication during interphase and chromosome segregation during mitosis. Morphological changes are thought to be driven by the combined effects of DNA loop extrusion and a chromatin solubility phase transition. By extruding the chromatin fibre into loops, condensins enrich at an axial core and provide resistance to spindle pulling forces. Mitotic chromosomes are further compacted by deacetylation of histone tails, rendering chromatin insoluble and resistant to penetration by microtubules. Regulation of surface properties by Ki-67 allows independent chromosome movement in early mitosis and clustering during mitotic exit. Recent progress has provided insight into how the extraordinary material properties of chromatin emerge from these activities, and how these properties facilitate faithful chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian F D Spicer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, A-1030, Vienna, Austria. https://twitter.com/Spicer__Max
| | - Daniel W Gerlich
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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Rajado AT, Silva N, Esteves F, Brito D, Binnie A, Araújo IM, Nóbrega C, Bragança J, Castelo-Branco P. How can we modulate aging through nutrition and physical exercise? An epigenetic approach. Aging (Albany NY) 2023. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.18632/aging.204668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Teresa Rajado
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Nádia Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Filipa Esteves
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - David Brito
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Binnie
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Department of Critical Care, William Osler Health System, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
| | - Inês M. Araújo
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Castelo-Branco
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
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Rajado AT, Silva N, Esteves F, Brito D, Binnie A, Araújo IM, Nóbrega C, Bragança J, Castelo-Branco P. How can we modulate aging through nutrition and physical exercise? An epigenetic approach. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:3191-3217. [PMID: 37086262 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050, 2.1 billion people worldwide will be over 60 years old, a drastic increase from only 1 billion in 2019. Considering these numbers, strategies to ensure an extended "healthspan" or healthy longevity are urgently needed. The present study approaches the promotion of healthspan from an epigenetic perspective. Epigenetic phenomena are modifiable in response to an individual's environmental exposures, and therefore link an individual's environment to their gene expression pattern. Epigenetic studies demonstrate that aging is associated with decondensation of the chromatin, leading to an altered heterochromatin structure, which promotes the accumulation of errors. In this review, we describe how aging impacts epigenetics and how nutrition and physical exercise can positively impact the aging process, from an epigenetic point of view. Canonical histones are replaced by histone variants, concomitant with an increase in histone post-translational modifications. A slight increase in DNA methylation at promoters has been observed, which represses transcription of previously active genes, in parallel with global genome hypomethylation. Aging is also associated with deregulation of gene expression - usually provided by non-coding RNAs - leading to both the repression of previously transcribed genes and to the transcription of previously repressed genes. Age-associated epigenetic events are less common in individuals with a healthy lifestyle, including balanced nutrition, caloric restriction and physical exercise. Healthy aging is associated with more tightly condensed chromatin, fewer PTMs and greater regulation by ncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Teresa Rajado
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Nádia Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Filipa Esteves
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - David Brito
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Binnie
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Department of Critical Care, William Osler Health System, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
| | - Inês M Araújo
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Castelo-Branco
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
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Soujanya M, Bihani A, Hajirnis N, Pathak RU, Mishra RK. Nuclear architecture and the structural basis of mitotic memory. CHROMOSOME RESEARCH : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON THE MOLECULAR, SUPRAMOLECULAR AND EVOLUTIONARY ASPECTS OF CHROMOSOME BIOLOGY 2023; 31:8. [PMID: 36725757 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-023-09714-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The nucleus is a complex organelle that hosts the genome and is essential for vital processes like DNA replication, DNA repair, transcription, and splicing. The genome is non-randomly organized in the three-dimensional space of the nucleus. This functional sub-compartmentalization was thought to be organized on the framework of nuclear matrix (NuMat), a non-chromatin scaffold that functions as a substratum for various molecular processes of the nucleus. More recently, nuclear bodies or membrane-less subcompartments of the nucleus are thought to arise due to phase separation of chromatin, RNA, and proteins. The nuclear architecture is an amalgamation of the relative organization of chromatin, epigenetic landscape, the nuclear bodies, and the nucleoskeleton in the three-dimensional space of the nucleus. During mitosis, the nucleus undergoes drastic changes in morphology to the degree that it ceases to exist as such; various nuclear components, including the envelope that defines the nucleus, disintegrate, and the chromatin acquires mitosis-specific epigenetic marks and condenses to form chromosome. Upon mitotic exit, chromosomes are decondensed, re-establish hierarchical genome organization, and regain epigenetic and transcriptional status similar to that of the mother cell. How this mitotic memory is inherited during cell division remains a puzzle. NuMat components that are a part of the mitotic chromosome in the form of mitotic chromosome scaffold (MiCS) could potentially be the seeds that guide the relative re-establishment of the epigenome, chromosome territories, and the nuclear bodies. Here, we synthesize the advances towards understanding cellular memory of nuclear architecture across mitosis and propose a hypothesis that a subset of NuMat proteome essential for nucleation of various nuclear bodies are retained in MiCS to serve as seeds of mitotic memory, thus ensuring the daughter cells re-establish the complex status of nuclear architecture similar to that of the mother cells, thereby maintaining the pre-mitotic transcriptional status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamilla Soujanya
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
- AcSIR - Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India
| | - Ashish Bihani
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Nikhil Hajirnis
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA
| | - Rashmi U Pathak
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Rakesh K Mishra
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India.
- AcSIR - Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India.
- TIGS - Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, Bangalore, India.
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7
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Regulation of the mitotic chromosome folding machines. Biochem J 2022; 479:2153-2173. [PMID: 36268993 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Over the last several years enormous progress has been made in identifying the molecular machines, including condensins and topoisomerases that fold mitotic chromosomes. The discovery that condensins generate chromatin loops through loop extrusion has revolutionized, and energized, the field of chromosome folding. To understand how these machines fold chromosomes with the appropriate dimensions, while disentangling sister chromatids, it needs to be determined how they are regulated and deployed. Here, we outline the current understanding of how these machines and factors are regulated through cell cycle dependent expression, chromatin localization, activation and inactivation through post-translational modifications, and through associations with each other, with other factors and with the chromatin template itself. There are still many open questions about how condensins and topoisomerases are regulated but given the pace of progress in the chromosome folding field, it seems likely that many of these will be answered in the years ahead.
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Currey ML, Kandula V, Biggs R, Marko JF, Stephens AD. A Versatile Micromanipulation Apparatus for Biophysical Assays of the Cell Nucleus. Cell Mol Bioeng 2022; 15:303-312. [PMID: 36119136 PMCID: PMC9474788 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-022-00734-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Intro Force measurements of the nucleus, the strongest organelle, have propelled the field of mechanobiology to understand the basic mechanical components of the nucleus and how these components properly support nuclear morphology and function. Micromanipulation force measurement provides separation of the relative roles of nuclear mechanical components chromatin and lamin A. Methods To provide access to this technique, we have developed a universal micromanipulation apparatus for inverted microscopes. We outline how to engineer and utilize this apparatus through dual micromanipulators, fashion and calibrate micropipettes, and flow systems to isolate a nucleus and provide force vs. extensions measurements. This force measurement approach provides the unique ability to measure the separate contributions of chromatin at short extensions and lamin A strain stiffening at long extensions. We then investigated the apparatus’ controllable and programmable micromanipulators through compression, isolation, and extension in conjunction with fluorescence to develop new assays for nuclear mechanobiology. Results Using this methodology, we provide the first rebuilding of the micromanipulation setup outside of its lab of origin and recapitulate many key findings including spring constant of the nucleus and strain stiffening across many cell types. Furthermore, we have developed new micromanipulation-based techniques to compress nuclei inducing nuclear deformation and/or rupture, track nuclear shape post-isolation, and fluorescence imaging during micromanipulation force measurements. Conclusion We provide the workflow to build and use a micromanipulation apparatus with any inverted microscope to perform nucleus isolation, force measurements, and various other biophysical techniques. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-022-00734-y.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Viswajit Kandula
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Department of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
| | - Ronald Biggs
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Department of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
| | - John F. Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Department of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
| | - Andrew D. Stephens
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, USA
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9
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Micropillar-based phenotypic screening platform uncovers involvement of HDAC2 in nuclear deformability. Biomaterials 2022; 286:121564. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Abstract
Condensation and faithful separation of the genome are crucial for the cellular life cycle. During chromosome segregation, mechanical forces generated by the mitotic spindle pull apart the sister chromatids. The mechanical nature of this process has motivated a lot of research interest into the mechanical properties of mitotic chromosomes. Although their fundamental mechanical characteristics are known, it still remains unclear how these characteristics emerge from the structure of the mitotic chromosome. Recent advances in genomics, computational and super-resolution microscopy techniques have greatly promoted our understanding of the chromosomal structure and have motivated us to review the mechanical characteristics of chromosomes in light of the current structural insights. In this review, we will first introduce the current understanding of the chromosomal structure, before reviewing characteristic mechanical properties such as the Young's modulus and the bending modulus of mitotic chromosomes. Then we will address the approaches used to relate mechanical properties to the structure of chromosomes and we will also discuss how mechanical characterization can aid in elucidating their structure. Finally, future challenges, recent developments and emergent questions in this research field will be discussed.
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11
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Strom AR, Biggs RJ, Banigan EJ, Wang X, Chiu K, Herman C, Collado J, Yue F, Ritland Politz JC, Tait LJ, Scalzo D, Telling A, Groudine M, Brangwynne CP, Marko JF, Stephens AD. HP1α is a chromatin crosslinker that controls nuclear and mitotic chromosome mechanics. eLife 2021; 10:e63972. [PMID: 34106828 PMCID: PMC8233041 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin, which consists of DNA and associated proteins, contains genetic information and is a mechanical component of the nucleus. Heterochromatic histone methylation controls nucleus and chromosome stiffness, but the contribution of heterochromatin protein HP1α (CBX5) is unknown. We used a novel HP1α auxin-inducible degron human cell line to rapidly degrade HP1α. Degradation did not alter transcription, local chromatin compaction, or histone methylation, but did decrease chromatin stiffness. Single-nucleus micromanipulation reveals that HP1α is essential to chromatin-based mechanics and maintains nuclear morphology, separate from histone methylation. Further experiments with dimerization-deficient HP1αI165E indicate that chromatin crosslinking via HP1α dimerization is critical, while polymer simulations demonstrate the importance of chromatin-chromatin crosslinkers in mechanics. In mitotic chromosomes, HP1α similarly bolsters stiffness while aiding in mitotic alignment and faithful segregation. HP1α is therefore a critical chromatin-crosslinking protein that provides mechanical strength to chromosomes and the nucleus throughout the cell cycle and supports cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Strom
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ronald J Biggs
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Edward J Banigan
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Xiaotao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Katherine Chiu
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Cameron Herman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Jimena Collado
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Feng Yue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | | | - Leah J Tait
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - David Scalzo
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Agnes Telling
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Mark Groudine
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Clifford P Brangwynne
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - John F Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Andrew D Stephens
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
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12
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Rakshit T, Melters DP, Dimitriadis EK, Dalal Y. Mechanical properties of nucleoprotein complexes determined by nanoindentation spectroscopy. Nucleus 2021; 11:264-282. [PMID: 32954931 PMCID: PMC7529419 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2020.1816053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The interplay between transcription factors, chromatin remodelers, 3-D organization, and mechanical properties of the chromatin fiber controls genome function in eukaryotes. Besides the canonical histones which fold the bulk of the chromatin into nucleosomes, histone variants create distinctive chromatin domains that are thought to regulate transcription, replication, DNA damage repair, and faithful chromosome segregation. Whether histone variants translate distinctive biochemical or biophysical properties to their associated chromatin structures, and whether these properties impact chromatin dynamics as the genome undergoes a multitude of transactions, is an important question in biology. Here, we describe single-molecule nanoindentation tools that we developed specifically to determine the mechanical properties of histone variant nucleosomes and their complexes. These methods join an array of cutting-edge new methods that further our quantitative understanding of the response of chromatin to intrinsic and extrinsic forces which act upon it during biological transactions in the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatini Rakshit
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH , Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Chemical, Biological & Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences , Salt Lake, India
| | - Daniël P Melters
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH , Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emilios K Dimitriadis
- Trans-NIH Shared Resource on Biomedical Engineering and Physical Science, National Cancer Institute, NIH , Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yamini Dalal
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH , Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Bajpai G, Amiad Pavlov D, Lorber D, Volk T, Safran S. Mesoscale phase separation of chromatin in the nucleus. eLife 2021; 10:e63976. [PMID: 33942717 PMCID: PMC8139833 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Intact-organism imaging of Drosophila larvae reveals and quantifies chromatin-aqueous phase separation. The chromatin can be organized near the lamina layer of the nuclear envelope, conventionally fill the nucleus, be organized centrally, or as a wetting droplet. These transitions are controlled by changes in nuclear volume and the interaction of chromatin with the lamina (part of the nuclear envelope) at the nuclear periphery. Using a simple polymeric model that includes the key features of chromatin self-attraction and its binding to the lamina, we demonstrate theoretically that it is the competition of these two effects that determines the mode of chromatin distribution. The qualitative trends as well as the composition profiles obtained in our simulations compare well with the observed intact-organism imaging and quantification. Since the simulations contain only a small number of physical variables we can identify the generic mechanisms underlying the changes in the observed phase separations.
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Municio C, Antosz W, Grasser KD, Kornobis E, Van Bel M, Eguinoa I, Coppens F, Bräutigam A, Lermontova I, Bruckmann A, Zelkowska K, Houben A, Schubert V. The Arabidopsis condensin CAP-D subunits arrange interphase chromatin. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:972-987. [PMID: 33475158 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Condensins are best known for their role in shaping chromosomes. Other functions such as organizing interphase chromatin and transcriptional control have been reported in yeasts and animals, but little is known about their function in plants. To elucidate the specific composition of condensin complexes and the expression of CAP-D2 (condensin I) and CAP-D3 (condensin II), we performed biochemical analyses in Arabidopsis. The role of CAP-D3 in interphase chromatin organization and function was evaluated using cytogenetic and transcriptome analysis in cap-d3 T-DNA insertion mutants. CAP-D2 and CAP-D3 are highly expressed in mitotically active tissues. In silico and pull-down experiments indicate that both CAP-D proteins interact with the other condensin I and II subunits. In cap-d3 mutants, an association of heterochromatic sequences occurs, but the nuclear size and the general histone and DNA methylation patterns remain unchanged. Also, CAP-D3 influences the expression of genes affecting the response to water, chemicals, and stress. The expression and composition of the condensin complexes in Arabidopsis are similar to those in other higher eukaryotes. We propose a model for the CAP-D3 function during interphase in which CAP-D3 localizes in euchromatin loops to stiffen them and consequently separates centromeric regions and 45S rDNA repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Municio
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Wojciech Antosz
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Center, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Klaus D Grasser
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Center, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Etienne Kornobis
- Plate-forme Technologique Biomics - Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique -Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Michiel Van Bel
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Ignacio Eguinoa
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Frederik Coppens
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Andrea Bräutigam
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Inna Lermontova
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Astrid Bruckmann
- Department for Biochemistry I, Biochemistry Center, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Zelkowska
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Andreas Houben
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Veit Schubert
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
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15
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Dantas M, Lima JT, Ferreira JG. Nucleus-Cytoskeleton Crosstalk During Mitotic Entry. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:649899. [PMID: 33816500 PMCID: PMC8014196 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.649899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In preparation for mitosis, cells undergo extensive reorganization of the cytoskeleton and nucleus, so that chromosomes can be efficiently segregated into two daughter cells. Coordination of these cytoskeletal and nuclear events occurs through biochemical regulatory pathways, orchestrated by Cyclin-CDK activity. However, recent studies provide evidence that physical forces are also involved in the early steps of spindle assembly. Here, we will review how the crosstalk of physical forces and biochemical signals coordinates nuclear and cytoplasmic events during the G2-M transition, to ensure efficient spindle assembly and faithful chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Dantas
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde - i3S, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,BiotechHealth Ph.D. Programme, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana T Lima
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde - i3S, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge G Ferreira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde - i3S, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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16
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Agbleke AA, Amitai A, Buenrostro JD, Chakrabarti A, Chu L, Hansen AS, Koenig KM, Labade AS, Liu S, Nozaki T, Ovchinnikov S, Seeber A, Shaban HA, Spille JH, Stephens AD, Su JH, Wadduwage D. Advances in Chromatin and Chromosome Research: Perspectives from Multiple Fields. Mol Cell 2020; 79:881-901. [PMID: 32768408 PMCID: PMC7888594 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nucleosomes package genomic DNA into chromatin. By regulating DNA access for transcription, replication, DNA repair, and epigenetic modification, chromatin forms the nexus of most nuclear processes. In addition, dynamic organization of chromatin underlies both regulation of gene expression and evolution of chromosomes into individualized sister objects, which can segregate cleanly to different daughter cells at anaphase. This collaborative review shines a spotlight on technologies that will be crucial to interrogate key questions in chromatin and chromosome biology including state-of-the-art microscopy techniques, tools to physically manipulate chromatin, single-cell methods to measure chromatin accessibility, computational imaging with neural networks and analytical tools to interpret chromatin structure and dynamics. In addition, this review provides perspectives on how these tools can be applied to specific research fields such as genome stability and developmental biology and to test concepts such as phase separation of chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Assaf Amitai
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jason D Buenrostro
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aditi Chakrabarti
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Lingluo Chu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Anders S Hansen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kristen M Koenig
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; JHDSF Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ajay S Labade
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sirui Liu
- FAS Division of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Tadasu Nozaki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sergey Ovchinnikov
- JHDSF Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; FAS Division of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew Seeber
- JHDSF Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Advanced Imaging, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Haitham A Shaban
- Center for Advanced Imaging, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Spectroscopy Department, Physics Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jan-Hendrik Spille
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Andrew D Stephens
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Jun-Han Su
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Dushan Wadduwage
- JHDSF Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Advanced Imaging, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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17
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Sun J, Chen J, Mohagheghian E, Wang N. Force-induced gene up-regulation does not follow the weak power law but depends on H3K9 demethylation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay9095. [PMID: 32270037 PMCID: PMC7112933 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay9095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical forces play important roles in development, physiology, and diseases, but how force is transduced into gene transcription remains elusive. Here, we show that transcription of transgene DHFR or endogenous genes egr-1 and Cav1 is rapidly up-regulated in response to cyclic forces applied via integrins at low frequencies but not at 100 Hz. Gene up-regulation does not follow the weak power law with force frequency. Force-induced transcription up-regulation at the nuclear interior is associated with demethylation of histone H3 lysine-9 trimethylation (H3K9me3), whereas no transcription up-regulation near the nuclear periphery is associated with H3K9me3 that inhibits Pol II recruitment to the promoter site. H3K9me3 demethylation induces Pol II recruitment and increases force-induced transcription of egr-1 and Cav1 at the nuclear interior and activates mechano-nonresponsive gene FKBP5 near the nuclear periphery, whereas H3K9me3 hypermethylation has opposite effects. Our findings demonstrate that rapid up-regulation of endogenous mechanoresponsive genes depends on H3K9me3 demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sun
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Junwei Chen
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Laboratory for Cellular Biomechanics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Erfan Mohagheghian
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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18
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Zhou CY, Heald R. Emergent properties of mitotic chromosomes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 64:43-49. [PMID: 32151949 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
As a cell prepares to divide, its genetic material changes dramatically in both form and function. During interphase, a dynamic interplay between DNA compartmentalization and transcription functions to program cell identity. During mitosis, this purpose is put on hold and instead chromosomes function to facilitate their accurate segregation to daughter cells. Chromatin loops are rearranged, stacked, and compressed to form X-shaped chromosomes that are neatly aligned at the center of the mitotic spindle and ready to withstand the forces of anaphase. Many factors that contribute to mitotic chromosome assembly have now been identified, but how the plethora of molecular mechanisms operate in concert to give rise to the distinct form and physical properties of mitotic chromosomes at the cellular scale remains under active investigation. In this review, we discuss recent work that addresses a major challenge for the field: How to connect the molecular-level activities to large-scale changes in whole-chromosome architecture that determine mitotic chromosome size, shape, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral Y Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720 USA.
| | - Rebecca Heald
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720 USA.
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19
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Beseda T, Cápal P, Kubalová I, Schubert V, Doležel J, Šimková H. Mitotic chromosome organization: General rules meet species-specific variability. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:1311-1319. [PMID: 32612754 PMCID: PMC7305364 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the formation of mitotic chromosomes from interphase chromatin domains, ongoing for several decades, made significant progress in recent years. It was stimulated by the development of advanced microscopic techniques and implementation of chromatin conformation capture methods that provide new insights into chromosome ultrastructure. This review aims to summarize and compare several models of chromatin fiber folding to form mitotic chromosomes and discusses them in the light of the novel findings. Functional genomics studies in several organisms confirmed condensins and cohesins as the major players in chromosome condensation. Here we compare available data on the role of these proteins across lower and higher eukaryotes and point to differences indicating evolutionary different pathways to shape mitotic chromosomes. Moreover, we discuss a controversial phenomenon of the mitotic chromosome ultrastructure - chromosome cavities - and using our super-resolution microscopy data, we contribute to its elucidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Beseda
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad. Sci., Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, CZ-77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Cápal
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad. Sci., Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, CZ-77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ivona Kubalová
- The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Veit Schubert
- The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Jaroslav Doležel
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad. Sci., Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, CZ-77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Šimková
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad. Sci., Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, CZ-77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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20
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Heterochromatin drives compartmentalization of inverted and conventional nuclei. Nature 2019; 570:395-399. [PMID: 31168090 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1275-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The nucleus of mammalian cells displays a distinct spatial segregation of active euchromatic and inactive heterochromatic regions of the genome1,2. In conventional nuclei, microscopy shows that euchromatin is localized in the nuclear interior and heterochromatin at the nuclear periphery1,2. Genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analyses show this segregation as a plaid pattern of contact enrichment within euchromatin and heterochromatin compartments3, and depletion between them. Many mechanisms for the formation of compartments have been proposed, such as attraction of heterochromatin to the nuclear lamina2,4, preferential attraction of similar chromatin to each other1,4-12, higher levels of chromatin mobility in active chromatin13-15 and transcription-related clustering of euchromatin16,17. However, these hypotheses have remained inconclusive, owing to the difficulty of disentangling intra-chromatin and chromatin-lamina interactions in conventional nuclei18. The marked reorganization of interphase chromosomes in the inverted nuclei of rods in nocturnal mammals19,20 provides an opportunity to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie spatial compartmentalization. Here we combine Hi-C analysis of inverted rod nuclei with microscopy and polymer simulations. We find that attractions between heterochromatic regions are crucial for establishing both compartmentalization and the concentric shells of pericentromeric heterochromatin, facultative heterochromatin and euchromatin in the inverted nucleus. When interactions between heterochromatin and the lamina are added, the same model recreates the conventional nuclear organization. In addition, our models allow us to rule out mechanisms of compartmentalization that involve strong euchromatin interactions. Together, our experiments and modelling suggest that attractions between heterochromatic regions are essential for the phase separation of the active and inactive genome in inverted and conventional nuclei, whereas interactions of the chromatin with the lamina are necessary to build the conventional architecture from these segregated phases.
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