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Shi X, Fedulova AS, Kotova EY, Maluchenko NV, Armeev GA, Chen Q, Prasanna C, Sivkina AL, Feofanov AV, Kirpichnikov MP, Nordensköld L, Shaytan AK, Studitsky VM. Histone Tetrasome Dynamics Affects Chromatin Transcription. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.18.604164. [PMID: 39071396 PMCID: PMC11275759 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.18.604164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
During various DNA-centered processes in the cell nucleus, the minimal structural units of chromatin organization, nucleosomes, are often transiently converted to hexasomes and tetrasomes missing one or both H2A/H2B histone dimers, respectively. However, the structural and functional properties of the subnucleosomes and their impact on biological processes in the nuclei are poorly understood. Here, using biochemical approaches, molecular dynamics simulations, single-particle Förster resonance energy transfer (spFRET) microscopy and NMR spectroscopy, we have shown that, surprisingly, removal of both dimers from a nucleosome results in much higher mobility of both histones and DNA in the tetrasome. Accordingly, DNase I footprinting shows that DNA-histone interactions in tetrasomes are greatly compromised, resulting in formation of a much lower barrier to transcribing RNA polymerase II than nucleosomes. The data suggest that tetrasomes are remarkably dynamic structures and their formation can strongly affect various biological processes.
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Dhahri H, Saintilnord WN, Chandler D, Fondufe-Mittendorf YN. Beyond the Usual Suspects: Examining the Role of Understudied Histone Variants in Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6788. [PMID: 38928493 PMCID: PMC11203562 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126788] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The incorporation of histone variants has structural ramifications on nucleosome dynamics and stability. Due to their unique sequences, histone variants can alter histone-histone or histone-DNA interactions, impacting the folding of DNA around the histone octamer and the overall higher-order structure of chromatin fibers. These structural modifications alter chromatin compaction and accessibility of DNA by transcription factors and other regulatory proteins to influence gene regulatory processes such as DNA damage and repair, as well as transcriptional activation or repression. Histone variants can also generate a unique interactome composed of histone chaperones and chromatin remodeling complexes. Any of these perturbations can contribute to cellular plasticity and the progression of human diseases. Here, we focus on a frequently overlooked group of histone variants lying within the four human histone gene clusters and their contribution to breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejer Dhahri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA or (H.D.); (W.N.S.)
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA;
| | - Wesley N. Saintilnord
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA or (H.D.); (W.N.S.)
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA;
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- The Edison Family Center of Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Darrell Chandler
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA;
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Shah A, Choudhary A, Jain M, Perumal S, Patel V, Parmar G, Patel A. Discovery of novel anticancer flavonoids as potential HDAC2 inhibitors: virtual screening approach based on molecular docking, DFT and molecular dynamics simulations studies. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:83. [PMID: 38375511 PMCID: PMC10874358 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-023-03912-5] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Virtual screening of a library of 329 flavonoids obtained from the NPACT database was performed to find out potential novel HDAC2 inhibitors. Eleven out of 329 selected flavonoids were screened based on molecular docking studies, as they have higher binding affinities than the standard drugs vorinostat and panobinostat. All screened compounds occupying the catalytic site of HDAC2 showed important molecular interaction with Zn2+ and other important amino acids in the binding pocket. The screened compounds were validated using ADMET filtration and bioactivity prediction from which we obtained six compounds, NPACT00270, NPACT00676, NPACT00700, NPACT001008, NPACT001054, and NPACT001407, which were analyzed using DFT studies. DFT studies were performed for all six screened flavonoids. In DFT studies, three flavonoids, NPACT00700, NPACT001008, and NPACT001407, were found to be better based on HOMO-LUMO and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analyses. Furthermore, MD simulations were performed for 100 ns for the three compounds. In the MD analysis, NPACT001407 was found to be more stable in the active site of HDAC2 as zinc formed a coordination bond with ASP181, HIS183, ASP269, and GLY305, along with two hydroxyl groups of the ligand. Our findings reveal that these flavonoids can interact as ligands with the active site of HDAC2. Because of the absence of a hydroxamate group in flavonoids, there are no possibilities for the formation of isocyanate. This suggests that the major drawback of current HDACs inhibitors may be solved. Further experimental validation is needed to understand the selectivity of flavonoids as HDAC2 inhibitors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03912-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Shah
- Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Vadodara, Gujarat India
| | - Aarti Choudhary
- Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Vadodara, Gujarat India
| | - Manav Jain
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Sathiaseelan Perumal
- Department of Chemistry, Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu India
| | - Vaishali Patel
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Laxminarayan Dev College of Pharmacy, Bharuch, Gujarat India
| | - Ghanshyam Parmar
- Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Vadodara, Gujarat India
| | - Ashish Patel
- Ramanbhai Patel College of Pharmacy, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa, Anand, Gujarat India
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4
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Schnee P, Pleiss J, Jeltsch A. Approaching the catalytic mechanism of protein lysine methyltransferases by biochemical and simulation techniques. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 59:20-68. [PMID: 38449437 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2024.2318547] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs) transfer up to three methyl groups to the side chains of lysine residues in proteins and fulfill important regulatory functions by controlling protein stability, localization and protein/protein interactions. The methylation reactions are highly regulated, and aberrant methylation of proteins is associated with several types of diseases including neurologic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and various types of cancer. This review describes novel insights into the catalytic machinery of various PKMTs achieved by the combined application of biochemical experiments and simulation approaches during the last years, focusing on clinically relevant and well-studied enzymes of this group like DOT1L, SMYD1-3, SET7/9, G9a/GLP, SETD2, SUV420H2, NSD1/2, different MLLs and EZH2. Biochemical experiments have unraveled many mechanistic features of PKMTs concerning their substrate and product specificity, processivity and the effects of somatic mutations observed in PKMTs in cancer cells. Structural data additionally provided information about the substrate recognition, enzyme-substrate complex formation, and allowed for simulations of the substrate peptide interaction and mechanism of PKMTs with atomistic resolution by molecular dynamics and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods. These simulation technologies uncovered important mechanistic details of the PKMT reaction mechanism including the processes responsible for the deprotonation of the target lysine residue, essential conformational changes of the PKMT upon substrate binding, but also rationalized regulatory principles like PKMT autoinhibition. Further developments are discussed that could bring us closer to a mechanistic understanding of catalysis of this important class of enzymes in the near future. The results described here illustrate the power of the investigation of enzyme mechanisms by the combined application of biochemical experiments and simulation technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schnee
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jürgen Pleiss
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Albert Jeltsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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5
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Sawade K, Marx A, Peter C, Kukharenko O. Combining molecular dynamics simulations and scoring method to computationally model ubiquitylated linker histones in chromatosomes. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010531. [PMID: 37527265 PMCID: PMC10442151 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The chromatin in eukaryotic cells plays a fundamental role in all processes during a cell's life cycle. This nucleoprotein is normally tightly packed but needs to be unpacked for expression and division. The linker histones are critical for such packaging processes and while most experimental and simulation works recognize their crucial importance, the focus is nearly always set on the nucleosome as the basic chromatin building block. Linker histones can undergo several modifications, but only few studies on their ubiquitylation have been conducted. Mono-ubiquitylated linker histones (HUb), while poorly understood, are expected to influence DNA compaction. The size of ubiquitin and the globular domain of the linker histone are comparable and one would expect an increased disorder upon ubiquitylation of the linker histone. However, the formation of higher order chromatin is not hindered and ubiquitylation of the linker histone may even promote gene expression. Structural data on chromatosomes is rare and HUb has never been modeled in a chromatosome so far. Descriptions of the chromatin complex with HUb would greatly benefit from computational structural data. In this study we generate molecular dynamics simulation data for six differently linked HUb variants with the help of a sampling scheme tailored to drive the exploration of phase space. We identify conformational sub-states of the six HUb variants using the sketch-map algorithm for dimensionality reduction and iterative HDBSCAN for clustering on the excessively sampled, shallow free energy landscapes. We present a highly efficient geometric scoring method to identify sub-states of HUb that fit into the nucleosome. We predict HUb conformations inside a nucleosome using on-dyad and off-dyad chromatosome structures as reference and show that unbiased simulations of HUb produce significantly more fitting than non-fitting HUb conformations. A tetranucleosome array is used to show that ubiquitylation can even occur in chromatin without too much steric clashes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Sawade
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Andreas Marx
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christine Peter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Oleksandra Kukharenko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Theory Department, Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany
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6
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Tan ZY, Cai S, Noble AJ, Chen JK, Shi J, Gan L. Heterogeneous non-canonical nucleosomes predominate in yeast cells in situ. eLife 2023; 12:RP87672. [PMID: 37503920 PMCID: PMC10382156 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear processes depend on the organization of chromatin, whose basic units are cylinder-shaped complexes called nucleosomes. A subset of mammalian nucleosomes in situ (inside cells) resembles the canonical structure determined in vitro 25 years ago. Nucleosome structure in situ is otherwise poorly understood. Using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and 3D classification analysis of budding yeast cells, here we find that canonical nucleosomes account for less than 10% of total nucleosomes expected in situ. In a strain in which H2A-GFP is the sole source of histone H2A, class averages that resemble canonical nucleosomes both with and without GFP densities are found ex vivo (in nuclear lysates), but not in situ. These data suggest that the budding yeast intranuclear environment favors multiple non-canonical nucleosome conformations. Using the structural observations here and the results of previous genomics and biochemical studies, we propose a model in which the average budding yeast nucleosome's DNA is partially detached in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Yang Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Shujun Cai
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Alex J Noble
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Jon K Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Jian Shi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Lu Gan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for BioImaging Sciences, National University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
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7
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Ozden B, Boopathi R, Barlas AB, Lone IN, Bednar J, Petosa C, Kale S, Hamiche A, Angelov D, Dimitrov S, Karaca E. Molecular Mechanism of Nucleosome Recognition by the Pioneer Transcription Factor Sox. J Chem Inf Model 2023. [PMID: 37307148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pioneer transcription factors (PTFs) have the remarkable ability to directly bind to chromatin to stimulate vital cellular processes. In this work, we dissect the universal binding mode of Sox PTF by combining extensive molecular simulations and physiochemistry approaches, along with DNA footprinting techniques. As a result, we show that when Sox consensus DNA is located at the solvent-facing DNA strand, Sox binds to the compact nucleosome without imposing any significant conformational changes. We also reveal that the base-specific Sox:DNA interactions (base reading) and Sox-induced DNA changes (shape reading) are concurrently required for sequence-specific nucleosomal DNA recognition. Among three different nucleosome positions located on the positive DNA arm, a sequence-specific reading mechanism is solely satisfied at the superhelical location 2 (SHL2). While SHL2 acts transparently for solvent-facing Sox binding, among the other two positions, SHL4 permits only shape reading. The final position, SHL0 (dyad), on the other hand, allows no reading mechanism. These findings demonstrate that Sox-based nucleosome recognition is essentially guided by intrinsic nucleosome properties, permitting varying degrees of DNA recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Ozden
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
| | - Ramachandran Boopathi
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38000, France
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Grenoble 38044, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule (LBMC), Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69007, France
| | - Ayşe Berçin Barlas
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
| | - Imtiaz N Lone
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
| | - Jan Bednar
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Carlo Petosa
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Grenoble 38044, France
| | - Seyit Kale
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
| | - Ali Hamiche
- Département de Génomique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC)/Université de Strasbourg/CNRS/INSERM, Illkirch Cedex 67404, France
| | - Dimitar Angelov
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Modélisation de la Cellule (LBMC), Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69007, France
| | - Stefan Dimitrov
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble 38000, France
- Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ezgi Karaca
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Izmir 35340, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir 35340, Turkey
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8
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Shi D, Huang Y, Bai C. Studies of the Mechanism of Nucleosome Dynamics: A Review on Multifactorial Regulation from Computational and Experimental Cases. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15071763. [PMID: 37050377 PMCID: PMC10096840 DOI: 10.3390/polym15071763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleosome, which organizes the long coil of genomic DNA in a highly condensed, polymeric way, is thought to be the basic unit of chromosomal structure. As the most important protein–DNA complex, its structural and dynamic features have been successively revealed in recent years. However, its regulatory mechanism, which is modulated by multiple factors, still requires systemic discussion. This study summarizes the regulatory factors of the nucleosome’s dynamic features from the perspective of histone modification, DNA methylation, and the nucleosome-interacting factors (transcription factors and nucleosome-remodeling proteins and cations) and focuses on the research exploring the molecular mechanism through both computational and experimental approaches. The regulatory factors that affect the dynamic features of nucleosomes are also discussed in detail, such as unwrapping, wrapping, sliding, and stacking. Due to the complexity of the high-order topological structures of nucleosomes and the comprehensive effects of regulatory factors, the research on the functional modulation mechanism of nucleosomes has encountered great challenges. The integration of computational and experimental approaches, the construction of physical modes for nucleosomes, and the application of deep learning techniques will provide promising opportunities for further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Shi
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yuxin Huang
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Chen Bai
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China
- Chenzhu (MoMeD) Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310005, China
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9
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Sinha S, Pindi C, Ahsan M, Arantes PR, Palermo G. Machines on Genes through the Computational Microscope. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:1945-1964. [PMID: 36947696 PMCID: PMC10104023 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular machines acting on genes are at the core of life's fundamental processes, including DNA replication and repair, gene transcription and regulation, chromatin packaging, RNA splicing, and genome editing. Here, we report the increasing role of computational biophysics in characterizing the mechanisms of "machines on genes", focusing on innovative applications of computational methods and their integration with structural and biophysical experiments. We showcase how state-of-the-art computational methods, including classical and ab initio molecular dynamics to enhanced sampling techniques, and coarse-grained approaches are used for understanding and exploring gene machines for real-world applications. As this review unfolds, advanced computational methods describe the biophysical function that is unseen through experimental techniques, accomplishing the power of the "computational microscope", an expression coined by Klaus Schulten to highlight the extraordinary capability of computer simulations. Pushing the frontiers of computational biophysics toward a pragmatic representation of large multimegadalton biomolecular complexes is instrumental in bridging the gap between experimentally obtained macroscopic observables and the molecular principles playing at the microscopic level. This understanding will help harness molecular machines for medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological purposes.
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10
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Lorch Y, Kornberg RD, Maier-Davis B. Role of the histone tails in histone octamer transfer. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:3671-3678. [PMID: 36772826 PMCID: PMC10164550 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The exceptionally high positive charge of the histones, concentrated in the N- and C-terminal tails, is believed to contribute to the stability of the nucleosome by neutralizing the negative charge of the nucleosomal DNA. We find, on the contrary, that the high positive charge contributes to instability, performing an essential function in chromatin remodeling. We show that the tails are required for removal of the histone octamer by the RSC chromatin remodeling complex, and this function is not due to direct RSC-tail interaction. We also show that the tails are required for histone octamer transfer from nucleosomes to DNA, and this activity of the tails is a consequence of their positive charge. Thus, the histone tails, intrinsically disordered protein regions, perform a critical role in chromatin structure and transcription, unrelated to their well-known role in regulation through posttranscriptional modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahli Lorch
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Roger D Kornberg
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Barbara Maier-Davis
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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11
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Li S, Wei T, Panchenko AR. Histone variant H2A.Z modulates nucleosome dynamics to promote DNA accessibility. Nat Commun 2023; 14:769. [PMID: 36765119 PMCID: PMC9918499 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36465-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes, containing histone variants H2A.Z, are important for gene transcription initiation and termination, chromosome segregation and DNA double-strand break repair, among other functions. However, the underlying mechanisms of how H2A.Z influences nucleosome stability, dynamics and DNA accessibility are not well understood, as experimental and computational evidence remains inconclusive. Our modeling efforts of human nucleosome stability and dynamics, along with comparisons with experimental data show that the incorporation of H2A.Z results in a substantial decrease of the energy barrier for DNA unwrapping. This leads to the spontaneous DNA unwrapping of about forty base pairs from both ends, nucleosome gapping and increased histone plasticity, which otherwise is not observed for canonical nucleosomes. We demonstrate that both N- and C-terminal tails of H2A.Z play major roles in these events, whereas the H3.3 variant exerts a negligible impact in modulating the DNA end unwrapping. In summary, our results indicate that H2A.Z deposition makes nucleosomes more mobile and DNA more accessible to transcriptional machinery and other chromatin components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxiang Li
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Tiejun Wei
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Anna R Panchenko
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. .,Department of Biology and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. .,School of Computing, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. .,Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, Toronto, Canada.
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12
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Brandani GB, Gopi S, Yamauchi M, Takada S. Molecular dynamics simulations for the study of chromatin biology. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 77:102485. [PMID: 36274422 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The organization of Eukaryotic DNA into chromatin has profound implications for the processing of genetic information. In the past years, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations proved to be a powerful tool to investigate the mechanistic basis of chromatin biology. We review recent all-atom and coarse-grained MD studies revealing how the structure and dynamics of chromatin underlie its biological functions. We describe the latest method developments; the structural fluctuations of nucleosomes and the various factors affecting them; the organization of chromatin fibers, with particular emphasis on its liquid-like character; the interactions and dynamics of transcription factors on chromatin; and how chromatin organization is modulated by molecular motors acting on DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni B Brandani
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Japan.
| | - Soundhararajan Gopi
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Masataka Yamauchi
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Shoji Takada
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Japan
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13
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Gül N, Yıldız A. An in silico study of how histone tail conformation affects the binding affinity of ING family proteins. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14029. [PMID: 36199288 PMCID: PMC9528904 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to its intrinsically disordered nature, the histone tail is conformationally heterogenic. Therefore, it provides specific binding sites for different binding proteins or factors through reversible post-translational modifications (PTMs). For instance, experimental studies stated that the ING family binds with the histone tail that has methylation on the lysine in position 4. However, numerous complexes featuring a methylated fourth lysine residue of the histone tail can be found in the UniProt database. So the question arose if other factors like the conformation of the histone tail affect the binding affinity. Methods The crystal structure of the PHD finger domain from the proteins ING1, ING2, ING4, and ING5 are docked to four histone H3 tails with two different conformations using Haddock 2.4 and ClusPro. The best four models for each combination are selected and a two-sample t-test is performed to compare the binding affinities of helical conformations vs. linear conformations using Prodigy. The protein-protein interactions are examined using LigPlot. Results The linear histone conformations in predicted INGs-histone H3 complexes exhibit statistically significant higher binding affinity than their helical counterparts (confidence level of 99%). The outputs of predicted models generated by the molecular docking programs Haddock 2.4 and ClusPro are comparable, and the obtained protein-protein interaction patterns are consistent with experimentally confirmed binding patterns. Conclusion The results show that the conformation of the histone tail is significantly affecting the binding affinity of the docking protein. Herewith, this in silico study demonstrated in detail the binding preference of the ING protein family to histone H3 tail. Further research on the effect of certain PTMs on the final tail conformation and the interaction between those factors seem to be promising for a better understanding of epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadir Gül
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Turkish-German University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Yıldız
- Faculty of Engineering, Turkish-German University, Istanbul, Turkey
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MacCarthy CM, Huertas J, Ortmeier C, Vom Bruch H, Tan DS, Reinke D, Sander A, Bergbrede T, Jauch R, Schöler HR, Cojocaru V. OCT4 interprets and enhances nucleosome flexibility. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:10311-10327. [PMID: 36130732 PMCID: PMC9561370 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pioneer transcription factors are proteins that induce cellular identity transitions by binding to inaccessible regions of DNA in nuclear chromatin. They contribute to chromatin opening and recruit other factors to regulatory DNA elements. The structural features and dynamics modulating their interaction with nucleosomes are still unresolved. From a combination of experiments and molecular simulations, we reveal here how the pioneer factor and master regulator of pluripotency, Oct4, interprets and enhances nucleosome structural flexibility. The magnitude of Oct4’s impact on nucleosome dynamics depends on the binding site position and the mobility of the unstructured tails of nucleosomal histone proteins. Oct4 uses both its DNA binding domains to propagate and stabilize open nucleosome conformations, one for specific sequence recognition and the other for nonspecific interactions with nearby regions of DNA. Our findings provide a structural basis for the versatility of transcription factors in engaging with nucleosomes and have implications for understanding how pioneer factors induce chromatin dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M MacCarthy
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Huertas
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.,Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Claudia Ortmeier
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Hermann Vom Bruch
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Daisylyn Senna Tan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Deike Reinke
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Astrid Sander
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Jauch
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hans R Schöler
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.,Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Vlad Cojocaru
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.,Computational Structural Biology Group, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.,STAR-UBB Institute, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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15
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Li S, Peng Y, Landsman D, Panchenko AR. DNA methylation cues in nucleosome geometry, stability and unwrapping. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:1864-1874. [PMID: 35166834 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytosine methylation at the 5-carbon position is an essential DNA epigenetic mark in many eukaryotic organisms. Although countless structural and functional studies of cytosine methylation have been reported, our understanding of how it influences the nucleosome assembly, structure, and dynamics remains obscure. Here, we investigate the effects of cytosine methylation at CpG sites on nucleosome dynamics and stability. By applying long molecular dynamics simulations on several microsecond time scale, we generate extensive atomistic conformational ensembles of full nucleosomes. Our results reveal that methylation induces pronounced changes in geometry for both linker and nucleosomal DNA, leading to a more curved, under-twisted DNA, narrowing the adjacent minor grooves, and shifting the population equilibrium of sugar-phosphate backbone geometry. These DNA conformational changes are associated with a considerable enhancement of interactions between methylated DNA and the histone octamer, doubling the number of contacts at some key arginines. H2A and H3 tails play important roles in these interactions, especially for DNA methylated nucleosomes. This, in turn, prevents a spontaneous DNA unwrapping of 3-4 helical turns for the methylated nucleosome with truncated histone tails, otherwise observed in the unmethylated system on several microseconds time scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxiang Li
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Queen's University, ON, Canada
| | - Yunhui Peng
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Landsman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna R Panchenko
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Queen's University, ON, Canada
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16
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Kameda T, Awazu A, Togashi Y. Molecular dynamics analysis of biomolecular systems including nucleic acids. Biophys Physicobiol 2022; 19:e190027. [DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v19.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Akinori Awazu
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University
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