1
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Aljahani A, Mauksch C, Oudelaar AM. The relationship between nucleosome positioning and higher-order genome folding. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 89:102398. [PMID: 38991477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are organized into 3D structures, which range from small-scale nucleosome arrays to large-scale chromatin domains. These structures have an important role in the regulation of transcription and other nuclear processes. Despite advances in our understanding of the properties, functions, and underlying mechanisms of genome structures, there are many open questions about the interplay between these structures across scales. In particular, it is not well understood if and how 1D features of nucleosome arrays influence large-scale 3D genome folding patterns. In this review, we discuss recent studies that address these questions and summarize our current understanding of the relationship between nucleosome positioning and higher-order genome folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Aljahani
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Genome Organization and Regulation, Göttingen, Germany; University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Mauksch
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Genome Organization and Regulation, Göttingen, Germany; University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Marieke Oudelaar
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Genome Organization and Regulation, Göttingen, Germany.
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2
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Nakada M, Kanda J, Uchiyama H, Matsumura K. Nanoscale intracellular ultrastructures affected by osmotic pressure using small-angle X-ray scattering. Biophys Chem 2024; 312:107287. [PMID: 38981174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2024.107287] [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: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Although intracellular ultrastructures have typically been studied using microscopic techniques, it is difficult to observe ultrastructures at the submicron scale of living cells due to spatial resolution (fluorescence microscopy) or high vacuum environment (electron microscopy). We investigate the nanometer scale intracellular ultrastructures of living CHO cells in various osmolality using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and especially the structures of ribosomes, DNA double helix, and plasma membranes in-cell environment are observed. Ribosomes expand and contract in response to osmotic pressure, and the inter-ribosomal correlation occurs under isotonic and hyperosmolality. The DNA double helix is not dependent on the osmotic pressure. Under high osmotic pressure, the plasma membrane folds into form a multilamellar structure with a periodic length of about 6 nm. We also study the ultrastructural changes caused by formaldehyde fixation, freezing and heating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Nakada
- Toray Research Center, Inc., 2-11 Sonoyama 3-chome, Otsu, Shiga 520-8567, Japan.
| | - Junko Kanda
- Toray Research Center, Inc., 2-11 Sonoyama 3-chome, Otsu, Shiga 520-8567, Japan
| | - Hironobu Uchiyama
- Toray Research Center, Inc., 2-11 Sonoyama 3-chome, Otsu, Shiga 520-8567, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Matsumura
- School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan
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3
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Woodworth MA, Lakadamyali M. Toward a comprehensive view of gene architecture during transcription. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 85:102154. [PMID: 38309073 PMCID: PMC10989512 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2024.102154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The activation of genes within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells is a tightly regulated process, orchestrated by a complex interplay of various physical properties and interacting factors. Studying the multitude of components and features that collectively contribute to gene activation has proven challenging due to the complexities of simultaneously visualizing the dynamic and transiently interacting elements that coalesce within the small space occupied by each individual gene. However, various labeling and imaging advances are now starting to overcome this challenge, enabling visualization of gene activation at different lengths and timescales. In this review, we aim to highlight these microscopy-based advances and suggest how they can be combined to provide a comprehensive view of the mechanisms regulating gene activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus A Woodworth
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Melike Lakadamyali
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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4
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Maeshima K, Iida S, Shimazoe MA, Tamura S, Ide S. Is euchromatin really open in the cell? Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:7-17. [PMID: 37385880 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Genomic DNA is wrapped around a core histone octamer and forms a nucleosome. In higher eukaryotic cells, strings of nucleosomes are irregularly folded as chromatin domains that act as functional genome units. According to a typical textbook model, chromatin can be categorized into two types, euchromatin and heterochromatin, based on its degree of compaction. Euchromatin is open, while heterochromatin is closed and condensed. However, is euchromatin really open in the cell? New evidence from genomics and advanced imaging studies has revealed that euchromatin consists of condensed liquid-like domains. Condensed chromatin seems to be the default chromatin state in higher eukaryotic cells. We discuss this novel view of euchromatin in the cell and how the revealed organization is relevant to genome functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Shiori Iida
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Masa A Shimazoe
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Sachiko Tamura
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Satoru Ide
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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5
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Li Y, Zhang H, Li X, Wu W, Zhu P. Cryo-ET study from in vitro to in vivo revealed a general folding mode of chromatin with two-start helical architecture. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113134. [PMID: 37708029 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113134] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The organization and dynamics of chromatin fiber play crucial roles in regulating DNA accessibility for gene expression. Here we combine cryoelectron tomography (cryo-ET), sub-volume averaging, and 3D segmentation to visualize the in vitro and in vivo chromatin fibers folding by linker histone. We discover that an increased nucleosome repeat length and prolonged fiber length do not change the two-start helical architecture in reconstituted chromatin of homogeneous composition. Additionally, an isolated chromatin fiber with heterogeneous composition was observed, which includes short-range regions compatible with two-start helix. In vivo, sub-volume averaging reveals similar subunits of two-start helical architecture in transcriptionally inactive chromatin in frog erythrocyte nuclei. Strikingly, unambiguous DNA trajectories that displayed a zigzag pattern universally between alternate N/N+2 nucleosomes were further determined by cryo-ET with voltage phase plate. Therefore, these structural similarities suggest a general folding mode of chromatin induced by linker histone, and heterogeneous compositions mainly affect local conformation rather than changing the overall architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Haonan Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wanyu Wu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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6
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Jentink N, Purnell C, Kable B, Swulius MT, Grigoryev SA. Cryoelectron tomography reveals the multiplex anatomy of condensed native chromatin and its unfolding by histone citrullination. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3236-3252.e7. [PMID: 37683647 PMCID: PMC10566567 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.08.017] [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] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Nucleosome chains fold and self-associate to form higher-order structures whose internal organization is unknown. Here, cryoelectron tomography (cryo-ET) of native human chromatin reveals intrinsic folding motifs such as (1) non-uniform nucleosome stacking, (2) intermittent parallel and perpendicular orientations of adjacent nucleosome planes, and (3) a regressive nucleosome chain path, which deviates from the direct zigzag topology seen in reconstituted nucleosomal arrays. By examining the self-associated structures, we observed prominent nucleosome stacking in cis and anti-parallel nucleosome interactions, which are consistent with partial nucleosome interdigitation in trans. Histone citrullination strongly inhibits nucleosome stacking and self-association with a modest effect on chromatin folding, whereas the reconstituted arrays undergo a dramatic unfolding into open zigzag chains induced by histone citrullination. This study sheds light on the internal structure of compact chromatin nanoparticles and suggests a mechanism for how epigenetic changes in chromatin folding are retained across both open and condensed forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Jentink
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, H171, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Carson Purnell
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, H171, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Brianna Kable
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, H171, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Matthew T Swulius
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, H171, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
| | - Sergei A Grigoryev
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, H171, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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7
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Burgers TCQ, Vlijm R. Fluorescence-based super-resolution-microscopy strategies for chromatin studies. Chromosoma 2023:10.1007/s00412-023-00792-9. [PMID: 37000292 PMCID: PMC10356683 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-023-00792-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) is a prime tool to study chromatin organisation at near biomolecular resolution in the native cellular environment. With fluorescent labels DNA, chromatin-associated proteins and specific epigenetic states can be identified with high molecular specificity. The aim of this review is to introduce the field of diffraction-unlimited SRM to enable an informed selection of the most suitable SRM method for a specific chromatin-related research question. We will explain both diffraction-unlimited approaches (coordinate-targeted and stochastic-localisation-based) and list their characteristic spatio-temporal resolutions, live-cell compatibility, image-processing, and ability for multi-colour imaging. As the increase in resolution, compared to, e.g. confocal microscopy, leads to a central role of the sample quality, important considerations for sample preparation and concrete examples of labelling strategies applicable to chromatin research are discussed. To illustrate how SRM-based methods can significantly improve our understanding of chromatin functioning, and to serve as an inspiring starting point for future work, we conclude with examples of recent applications of SRM in chromatin research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Q Burgers
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rifka Vlijm
- Molecular Biophysics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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8
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Li Y, Agrawal V, Virk RKA, Roth E, Li WS, Eshein A, Frederick J, Huang K, Almassalha L, Bleher R, Carignano MA, Szleifer I, Dravid VP, Backman V. Analysis of three-dimensional chromatin packing domains by chromatin scanning transmission electron microscopy (ChromSTEM). Sci Rep 2022; 12:12198. [PMID: 35842472 PMCID: PMC9288481 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin organization over multiple length scales plays a critical role in the regulation of transcription. Deciphering the interplay of these processes requires high-resolution, three-dimensional, quantitative imaging of chromatin structure in vitro. Herein, we introduce ChromSTEM, a method that utilizes high-angle annular dark-field imaging and tomography in scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with DNA-specific staining for electron microscopy. We utilized ChromSTEM for an in-depth quantification of 3D chromatin conformation with high spatial resolution and contrast, allowing for characterization of higher-order chromatin structure almost down to the level of the DNA base pair. Employing mass scaling analysis on ChromSTEM mass density tomograms, we observed that chromatin forms spatially well-defined higher-order domains, around 80 nm in radius. Within domains, chromatin exhibits a polymeric fractal-like behavior and a radially decreasing mass-density from the center to the periphery. Unlike other nanoimaging and analysis techniques, we demonstrate that our unique combination of this high-resolution imaging technique with polymer physics-based analysis enables us to (i) investigate the chromatin conformation within packing domains and (ii) quantify statistical descriptors of chromatin structure that are relevant to transcription. We observe that packing domains have heterogeneous morphological properties even within the same cell line, underlying the potential role of statistical chromatin packing in regulating gene expression within eukaryotic nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Applied Physics Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Vasundhara Agrawal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Ranya K A Virk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Eric Roth
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Wing Shun Li
- Applied Physics Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Adam Eshein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jane Frederick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Kai Huang
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen, 518132, China
| | - Luay Almassalha
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Reiner Bleher
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Marcelo A Carignano
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Igal Szleifer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Vinayak P Dravid
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - Vadim Backman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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9
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Razin SV, Zhegalova IV, Kantidze OL. Domain Model of Eukaryotic Genome Organization: From DNA Loops Fixed on the Nuclear Matrix to TADs. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:667-680. [PMID: 36154886 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922070082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The article reviews the development of ideas on the domain organization of eukaryotic genome, with special attention on the studies of DNA loops anchored to the nuclear matrix and their role in the emergence of the modern model of eukaryotic genome spatial organization. Critical analysis of results demonstrating that topologically associated chromatin domains are structural-functional blocks of the genome supports the notion that these blocks are fundamentally different from domains whose existence was proposed by the domain hypothesis of eukaryotic genome organization formulated in the 1980s. Based on the discussed evidence, it is concluded that the model postulating that eukaryotic genome is built from uniformly organized structural-functional blocks has proven to be untenable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey V Razin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Irina V Zhegalova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Moscow, 127051, Russia
| | - Omar L Kantidze
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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10
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Das R, Goswami S, Ghosh P, Roy S, Ray S. Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Effects of Leaf Aqueous Extract of <i>Crinum asiaticum</i> in <i>Allium cepa</i> Root Apical Meristem Cells. CYTOLOGIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1508/cytologia.87.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ria Das
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan
| | - Souren Goswami
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan
| | - Poulomi Ghosh
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan
| | - Sujit Roy
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan
| | - Sanjib Ray
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan
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11
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Ide S, Tamura S, Maeshima K. Chromatin behavior in living cells: Lessons from single‐nucleosome imaging and tracking. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200043. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Ide
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory National Institute of Genetics, ROIS Mishima Shizuoka Japan
- Department of Genetics School of Life Science SOKENDAI Mishima Shizuoka Japan
| | - Sachiko Tamura
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory National Institute of Genetics, ROIS Mishima Shizuoka Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory National Institute of Genetics, ROIS Mishima Shizuoka Japan
- Department of Genetics School of Life Science SOKENDAI Mishima Shizuoka Japan
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12
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Iashina EG, Varfolomeeva EY, Pantina RA, Bairamukov VY, Kovalev RA, Fedorova ND, Pipich V, Radulescu A, Grigoriev SV. Bifractal structure of chromatin in rat lymphocyte nuclei. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:064409. [PMID: 35030913 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.064409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) on the rat lymphocyte nuclei demonstrates the bifractal nature of the chromatin structural organization. The scattering intensity from rat lymphocyte nuclei is described by power law Q^{-D} with fractal dimension approximately 2.3 on smaller scales and 3 on larger scales. The crossover between two fractal structures is detected at momentum transfer near 10^{-1}nm^{-1}. The use of contrast variation (D_{2}O-H_{2}O) in SANS measurements reveals clear similarity in the structural organizations of nucleic acids (NA) and proteins. Both chromatin components show bifractal behavior with logarithmic fractal structure on the large scale and volume fractal with slightly smaller than 2.5 structure on the small scale. Scattering intensities from chromatin, protein component, and NA component demonstrate an extremely extensive range of logarithmic fractal behavior (from 10^{-3} to approximately 10^{-1}nm^{-1}). We compare the fractal arrangement of rat lymphocyte nuclei with that of chicken erythrocytes and the immortal HeLa cell line. We conclude that the bifractal nature of the chromatin arrangement is inherent in the nuclei of all these cells. The details of the fractal arrangement-its range and correlation/interaction between nuclear acids and proteins are specific for different cells and is related to their functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- E G Iashina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia.,Saint-Petersburg State University (SPSU), Ulyanovskaya str. 1, 198504, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - E Yu Varfolomeeva
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia
| | - R A Pantina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia
| | - V Yu Bairamukov
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia
| | - R A Kovalev
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia
| | - N D Fedorova
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia
| | - V Pipich
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Lichtenbergstr. 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - A Radulescu
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Lichtenbergstr. 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - S V Grigoriev
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (PNPI), NRC Kurchatov Institute, Orlova roshcha 1, 188300, Gatchina, Russia.,Saint-Petersburg State University (SPSU), Ulyanovskaya str. 1, 198504, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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13
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Grigoriev SV, Iashina EG, Wu B, Pipich V, Lang C, Radulescu A, Bairamukov VY, Filatov MV, Pantina RA, Varfolomeeva EY. Observation of nucleic acid and protein correlation in chromatin of HeLa nuclei using small-angle neutron scattering with D_{2}O-H_{2}O contrast variation. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:044404. [PMID: 34781557 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.044404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) on HeLa nuclei demonstrates the bifractal nature of the chromatin structural organization. The border line between two fractal structures is detected as a crossover point at Q_{c}≈4×10^{-2}nm^{-1} in the momentum transfer dependence Q^{-D}. The use of contrast variation (D_{2}O-H_{2}O) in SANS measurements reveals clear similarity in the large scale structural organizations of nucleic acids (NA) and proteins. Both NA and protein structures have a mass fractal arrangement with the fractal dimension of D≈2.5 at scales smaller than 150 nm down to 20 nm. Both NA and proteins show a logarithmic fractal behavior with D≈3 at scales larger than 150 nm up to 6000 nm. The combined analysis of the SANS and atomic force microscopy data allows one to conclude that chromatin and its constitutes (DNA and proteins) are characterized as soft, densely packed, logarithmic fractals on the large scale and as rigid, loosely packed, mass fractals on the smaller scale. The comparison of the partial cross sections from NA and proteins with one from chromatin as a whole demonstrates spatial correlation of two chromatin's components in the range up to 900 nm. Thus chromatin in HeLa nuclei is built as the unified structure of the NA and proteins entwined through each other. Correlation between two components is lost upon scale increases toward 6000 nm. The structural features at the large scale, probably, provide nuclei with the flexibility and chromatin-free space to build supercorrelations on the distance of 10^{3} nm resembling cycle cell activity, such as an appearance of nucleoli and a DNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Grigoriev
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia.,Saint-Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya 1, Saint-Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - E G Iashina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia.,Saint-Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya 1, Saint-Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - B Wu
- Forschungszentrum Juelich, JCNS-4 at MLZ, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - V Pipich
- Forschungszentrum Juelich, JCNS-4 at MLZ, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Ch Lang
- Forschungszentrum Juelich, JCNS-4 at MLZ, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - A Radulescu
- Forschungszentrum Juelich, JCNS-4 at MLZ, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - V Yu Bairamukov
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia
| | - M V Filatov
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia
| | - R A Pantina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia
| | - E Yu Varfolomeeva
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B.P.Konstantinov of NRC Kurchatov Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg 188300, Russia
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14
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Hansen JC, Maeshima K, Hendzel MJ. The solid and liquid states of chromatin. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:50. [PMID: 34717733 PMCID: PMC8557566 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00424-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The review begins with a concise description of the principles of phase separation. This is followed by a comprehensive section on phase separation of chromatin, in which we recount the 60 years history of chromatin aggregation studies, discuss the evidence that chromatin aggregation intrinsically is a physiologically relevant liquid-solid phase separation (LSPS) process driven by chromatin self-interaction, and highlight the recent findings that under specific solution conditions chromatin can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) rather than LSPS. In the next section of the review, we discuss how certain chromatin-associated proteins undergo LLPS in vitro and in vivo. Some chromatin-binding proteins undergo LLPS in purified form in near-physiological ionic strength buffers while others will do so only in the presence of DNA, nucleosomes, or chromatin. The final section of the review evaluates the solid and liquid states of chromatin in the nucleus. While chromatin behaves as an immobile solid on the mesoscale, nucleosomes are mobile on the nanoscale. We discuss how this dual nature of chromatin, which fits well the concept of viscoelasticity, contributes to genome structure, emphasizing the dominant role of chromatin self-interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, and Department of Genetics, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Michael J Hendzel
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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15
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Itoh Y, Woods EJ, Minami K, Maeshima K, Collepardo-Guevara R. Liquid-like chromatin in the cell: What can we learn from imaging and computational modeling? Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 71:123-135. [PMID: 34303931 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin in eukaryotic cells is a negatively charged long polymer consisting of DNA, histones, and various associated proteins. With its highly charged and heterogeneous nature, chromatin structure varies greatly depending on various factors (e.g. chemical modifications and protein enrichment) and the surrounding environment (e.g. cations): from a 10-nm fiber, a folded 30-nm fiber, to chromatin condensates/droplets. Recent advanced imaging has observed that chromatin exhibits a dynamic liquid-like behavior and undergoes structural variations within the cell. Current computational modeling has made it possible to reconstruct the liquid-like chromatin in the cell by dealing with a number of nucleosomes on multiscale levels and has become a powerful technique to inspect the molecular mechanisms giving rise to the observed behavior, which imaging methods cannot do on their own. Based on new findings from both imaging and modeling studies, we discuss the dynamic aspect of chromatin in living cells and its functional relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Itoh
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Esmae J Woods
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Katsuhiko Minami
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Rosana Collepardo-Guevara
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK; Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
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16
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Ishihara S, Sasagawa Y, Kameda T, Yamashita H, Umeda M, Kotomura N, Abe M, Shimono Y, Nikaido I. Local states of chromatin compaction at transcription start sites control transcription levels. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:8007-8023. [PMID: 34233004 PMCID: PMC8373074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ‘open’ and ‘compact’ regions of chromatin are considered to be regions of active and silent transcription, respectively. However, individual genes produce transcripts at different levels, suggesting that transcription output does not depend on the simple open-compact conversion of chromatin, but on structural variations in chromatin itself, which so far have remained elusive. In this study, weakly crosslinked chromatin was subjected to sedimentation velocity centrifugation, which fractionated the chromatin according to its degree of compaction. Open chromatin remained in upper fractions, while compact chromatin sedimented to lower fractions depending on the level of nucleosome assembly. Although nucleosomes were evenly detected in all fractions, histone H1 was more highly enriched in the lower fractions. H1 was found to self-associate and crosslinked to histone H3, suggesting that H1 bound to H3 interacts with another H1 in an adjacent nucleosome to form compact chromatin. Genome-wide analyses revealed that nearly the entire genome consists of compact chromatin without differences in compaction between repeat and non-repeat sequences; however, active transcription start sites (TSSs) were rarely found in compact chromatin. Considering the inverse correlation between chromatin compaction and RNA polymerase binding at TSSs, it appears that local states of chromatin compaction determine transcription levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Ishihara
- Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Yohei Sasagawa
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics Research, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Functional Genome Informatics, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Takeru Kameda
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics Research, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Hayato Yamashita
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
| | - Mana Umeda
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics Research, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Naoe Kotomura
- Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Masayuki Abe
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
| | - Yohei Shimono
- Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Itoshi Nikaido
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics Research, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Functional Genome Informatics, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan.,Master's/Doctoral Program in Life Science Innovation (Bioinformatics), Degree Programs in Systems and Information Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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17
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Interphase epichromatin: last refuge for the 30-nm chromatin fiber? Chromosoma 2021; 130:91-102. [PMID: 34091761 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-021-00759-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
"Interphase epichromatin" describes the surface of chromatin located adjacent to the interphase nuclear envelope. It was discovered in 2011 using a bivalent anti-nucleosome antibody (mAb PL2-6), now known to be directed against the nucleosome acidic patch. The molecular structure of interphase epichromatin is unknown, but is thought to be heterochromatic with a high density of "exposed" acidic patches. In the 1960s, transmission electron microscopy of fixed, dehydrated, sectioned, and stained inactive chromatin revealed "unit threads," frequently organized into parallel arrays at the nuclear envelope, which were interpreted as regular helices with ~ 30-nm center-to-center distance. Also observed in certain cell types, the nuclear envelope forms a "sandwich" around a layer of closely packed unit threads (ELCS, envelope-limited chromatin sheets). Discovery of the nucleosome in 1974 led to revised helical models of chromatin. But these models became very controversial and the existence of in situ 30-nm chromatin fibers has been challenged. Development of cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) gave hope that in situ chromatin fibers, devoid of artifacts, could be structurally defined. Combining a contrast-enhancing phase plate and cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET), it is now possible to visualize chromatin in a "close-to-native" situation. ELCS are particularly interesting to study by Cryo-ET. The chromatin sheet appears to have two layers of ~ 30-nm chromatin fibers arranged in a criss-crossed pattern. The chromatin in ELCS is continuous with adjacent interphase epichromatin. It appears that hydrated ~ 30-nm chromatin fibers are quite rare in most cells, possibly confined to interphase epichromatin at the nuclear envelope.
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18
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Abstract
Genomic information is encoded on long strands of DNA, which are folded into chromatin and stored in a tiny nucleus. Nuclear chromatin is a negatively charged polymer composed of DNA, histones, and various nonhistone proteins. Because of its highly charged nature, chromatin structure varies greatly depending on the surrounding environment (e.g., cations, molecular crowding, etc.). New technologies to capture chromatin in living cells have been developed over the past 10 years. Our view on chromatin organization has drastically shifted from a regular and static one to a more variable and dynamic one. Chromatin forms numerous compact dynamic domains that act as functional units of the genome in higher eukaryotic cells and locally appear liquid-like. By changing DNA accessibility, these domains can govern various functions. Based on new evidences from versatile genomics and advanced imaging studies, we discuss the physical nature of chromatin in the crowded nuclear environment and how it is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Shiori Iida
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Sachiko Tamura
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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19
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Paulson JR, Hudson DF, Cisneros-Soberanis F, Earnshaw WC. Mitotic chromosomes. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 117:7-29. [PMID: 33836947 PMCID: PMC8406421 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the structure and function of mitotic chromosomes has come a long way since these iconic objects were first recognized more than 140 years ago, though many details remain to be elucidated. In this chapter, we start with the early history of chromosome studies and then describe the path that led to our current understanding of the formation and structure of mitotic chromosomes. We also discuss some of the remaining questions. It is now well established that each mitotic chromatid consists of a central organizing region containing a so-called "chromosome scaffold" from which loops of DNA project radially. Only a few key non-histone proteins and protein complexes are required to form the chromosome: topoisomerase IIα, cohesin, condensin I and condensin II, and the chromokinesin KIF4A. These proteins are concentrated along the axis of the chromatid. Condensins I and II are primarily responsible for shaping the chromosome and the scaffold, and they produce the loops of DNA by an ATP-dependent process known as loop extrusion. Modelling of Hi-C data suggests that condensin II adopts a spiral staircase arrangement with an extruded loop extending out from each step in a roughly helical pattern. Condensin I then forms loops nested within these larger condensin II loops, thereby giving rise to the final compaction of the mitotic chromosome in a process that requires Topo IIα.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Paulson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA.
| | - Damien F Hudson
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Fernanda Cisneros-Soberanis
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, ICB, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, King's Buildings, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland, UK
| | - William C Earnshaw
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, ICB, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, King's Buildings, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland, UK.
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20
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Botchway SW, Farooq S, Sajid A, Robinson IK, Yusuf M. Contribution of advanced fluorescence nano microscopy towards revealing mitotic chromosome structure. Chromosome Res 2021; 29:19-36. [PMID: 33686484 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-021-09654-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The organization of chromatin into higher-order structures and its condensation process represent one of the key challenges in structural biology. This is important for elucidating several disease states. To address this long-standing problem, development of advanced imaging methods has played an essential role in providing understanding into mitotic chromosome structure and compaction. Amongst these are two fast evolving fluorescence imaging technologies, specifically fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and super-resolution microscopy (SRM). FLIM in particular has been lacking in the application of chromosome research while SRM has been successfully applied although not widely. Both these techniques are capable of providing fluorescence imaging with nanometer information. SRM or "nanoscopy" is capable of generating images of DNA with less than 50 nm resolution while FLIM when coupled with energy transfer may provide less than 20 nm information. Here, we discuss the advantages and limitations of both methods followed by their contribution to mitotic chromosome studies. Furthermore, we highlight the future prospects of how advancements in new technologies can contribute in the field of chromosome science.
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Affiliation(s)
- S W Botchway
- Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Research Complex at Harwell, Oxford, UK
| | - S Farooq
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Aga Khan University, P.O.Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
| | - A Sajid
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Aga Khan University, P.O.Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
| | - I K Robinson
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK.,Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - M Yusuf
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Aga Khan University, P.O.Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan. .,London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK.
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21
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Ding X, Lin X, Zhang B. Stability and folding pathways of tetra-nucleosome from six-dimensional free energy surface. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1091. [PMID: 33597548 PMCID: PMC7889939 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21377-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional organization of chromatin is expected to play critical roles in regulating genome functions. High-resolution characterization of its structure and dynamics could improve our understanding of gene regulation mechanisms but has remained challenging. Using a near-atomistic model that preserves the chemical specificity of protein-DNA interactions at residue and base-pair resolution, we studied the stability and folding pathways of a tetra-nucleosome. Dynamical simulations performed with an advanced sampling technique uncovered multiple pathways that connect open chromatin configurations with the zigzag crystal structure. Intermediate states along the simulated folding pathways resemble chromatin configurations reported from in situ experiments. We further determined a six-dimensional free energy surface as a function of the inter-nucleosome distances via a deep learning approach. The zigzag structure can indeed be seen as the global minimum of the surface. However, it is not favored by a significant amount relative to the partially unfolded, in situ configurations. Chemical perturbations such as histone H4 tail acetylation and thermal fluctuations can further tilt the energetic balance to stabilize intermediate states. Our study provides insight into the connection between various reported chromatin configurations and has implications on the in situ relevance of the 30 nm fiber. The three-dimensional organization of chromatin plays critical roles in regulating genome function. Here the authors apply a near atomistic model to study the structure and dynamics of the chromatin folding unit - the tetra-nucleosome - to provide insight into how chromatin folds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinqiang Ding
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xingcheng Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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22
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Hayashida M, Phengchat R, Malac M, Harada K, Akashi T, Ohmido N, Fukui K. Higher-Order Structure of Human Chromosomes Observed by Electron Diffraction and Electron Tomography. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2021; 27:149-155. [PMID: 33213601 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927620024666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that two DNA molecules are wrapped around histone octamers and folded together to form a single chromosome. However, the nucleosome fiber folding within a chromosome remains an enigma, and the higher-order structure of chromosomes also is not understood. In this study, we employed electron diffraction which provides a noninvasive analysis to characterize the internal structure of chromosomes. The results revealed the presence of structures with 100–200 nm periodic features directionally perpendicular to the chromosome axis in unlabeled isolated human chromosomes. We also visualized the 100–200 nm periodic features perpendicular to the chromosome axis in an isolated chromosome whose DNA molecules were specifically labeled with OsO4 using electron tomography in 300 keV and 1 MeV transmission electron microscopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misa Hayashida
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Rinyaporn Phengchat
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11 Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe657-8501, Japan
| | - Marek Malac
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9, Canada
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, EdmontonT6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Ken Harada
- Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), RIKEN, Hatoyama, Saitama350-0395, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Akashi
- Research & Development Group, HITACHI, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama350-0395, Japan
| | - Nobuko Ohmido
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11 Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe657-8501, Japan
| | - Kiichi Fukui
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
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23
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Strickfaden H, Tolsma TO, Sharma A, Underhill DA, Hansen JC, Hendzel MJ. Condensed Chromatin Behaves like a Solid on the Mesoscale In Vitro and in Living Cells. Cell 2020; 183:1772-1784.e13. [PMID: 33326747 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The association of nuclear DNA with histones to form chromatin is essential for temporal and spatial control of eukaryotic genomes. In this study, we examined the physical state of condensed chromatin in vitro and in vivo. Our in vitro studies demonstrate that self-association of nucleosomal arrays under a wide range of solution conditions produces supramolecular condensates in which the chromatin is physically constrained and solid-like. By measuring DNA mobility in living cells, we show that condensed chromatin also exhibits solid-like behavior in vivo. Representative heterochromatin proteins, however, display liquid-like behavior and coalesce around the solid chromatin scaffold. Importantly, euchromatin and heterochromatin show solid-like behavior even under conditions that produce limited interactions between chromatin fibers. Our results reveal that condensed chromatin exists in a solid-like state whose properties resist external forces and create an elastic gel and provides a scaffold that supports liquid-liquid phase separation of chromatin binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilmar Strickfaden
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Thomas O Tolsma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ajit Sharma
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - D Alan Underhill
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Michael J Hendzel
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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24
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Basak R, Rosencrans W, Yadav I, Yan P, Berezhnoy NV, Chen Q, van Kan JA, Nordenskiöld L, Zinchenko A, van der Maarel JRC. Internal Motion of Chromatin Fibers Is Governed by Dynamics of Uncompressed Linker Strands. Biophys J 2020; 119:2326-2334. [PMID: 33121944 PMCID: PMC7732777 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin compaction and internal motion are fundamental aspects of gene expression regulation. Here, we have investigated chromatin fibers comprising recombinant histone octamers reconstituted with double-stranded bacteriophage T4-DNA. The size of the fibers approaches the typical size of genomic topologically associated domains. Atomic force and fluorescence (correlation) microscopy have been used to assess the structural organization, histone-induced compaction, and internal motion. In particular, the fibers are stretched on arrays of nanochannels, each channel with a diameter of 60 or 125 nm. Major intrafiber segregation and fast internal fluctuations are observed. Full compaction was only achieved by triggering an attractive nucleosome interaction through the addition of magnesium cations. Besides compaction, histone complexation results in a dramatic decrease in the fiber's relaxation time. The relaxation times are similar to those of naked DNA with a comparable stretch, which indicates that internal motion is governed by the dynamics of uncompressed linker strands. Furthermore, the main reorganization process is association-dissociation of individually compacted regions. We surmise that the modulation of chromatin's internal motion by histone complexation might have implications for transcriptional bursting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajib Basak
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - William Rosencrans
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Indresh Yadav
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Peiyan Yan
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Nikolay V Berezhnoy
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Qinming Chen
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jeroen A van Kan
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Lars Nordenskiöld
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Anatoly Zinchenko
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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25
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Rehman S, Aatif M, Rafi Z, Khan MY, Shahab U, Ahmad S, Farhan M. Effect of non-enzymatic glycosylation in the epigenetics of cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 83:543-555. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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26
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Grigoriev SV, Iashina EG, Bairamukov VY, Pipich V, Radulescu A, Filatov MV, Pantina RA, Varfolomeeva EY. Switch of fractal properties of DNA in chicken erythrocytes nuclei by mechanical stress. Phys Rev E 2020; 102:032415. [PMID: 33075965 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.032415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) on the chicken erythrocyte nuclei demonstrates the bifractal nature of the chromatin structural organization. Use of the contrast variation (D_{2}O-H_{2}O) in SANS measurements reveals the differences in the DNA and protein arrangements inside the chromatin substance. It is the DNA that serves as a framework that constitutes the bifractal behavior showing the mass fractal properties with D=2.22 at a smaller scale and the logarithmic fractal behavior with D≈3 at a larger scale. The protein spatial organization shows the mass fractal properties with D≈2.34 throughout the whole nucleus. The borderline between two fractal levels can be significantly shifted toward smaller scales by centrifugation of the nuclei disposed on the dry substrate, since nuclei suffer from mechanical stress transforming them to a disklike shape. The height of this disk measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) coincides closely with the fractal borderline, thus characterizing two types of the chromatin with the soft (at larger scale) and rigid (at smaller scale) properties. The combined SANS and AFM measurements demonstrate the stress induced switch of the DNA fractal properties from the rigid, but loosely packed, mass fractal to the soft, but densely packed, logarithmic fractal.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Grigoriev
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia.,Saint-Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya 1, Saint-Petersburg, 198504, Russia
| | - E G Iashina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia
| | - V Yu Bairamukov
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia
| | - V Pipich
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Lichtenbergstraße 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - A Radulescu
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Lichtenbergstraße 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - M V Filatov
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia
| | - R A Pantina
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia
| | - E Yu Varfolomeeva
- Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, St-Petersburg, 188300, Russia
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27
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Maeshima K, Tamura S, Hansen JC, Itoh Y. Fluid-like chromatin: Toward understanding the real chromatin organization present in the cell. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 64:77-89. [PMID: 32283330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic chromatin is a negatively charged polymer consisting of genomic DNA, histones, and various nonhistone proteins. Because of its highly charged character, the structure of chromatin varies greatly depending on the surrounding environment (i.e. cations etc.): from an extended 10-nm fiber, to a folded 30-nm fiber, to chromatin condensates/liquid-droplets. Over the last ten years, newly developed technologies have drastically shifted our view on chromatin from a static regular structure to a more irregular and dynamic one, locally like a fluid. Since no single imaging (or genomics) method can tell us everything and beautiful images (or models) can fool our minds, comprehensive analyses based on many technical approaches are important to capture actual chromatin organization inside the cell. Here we critically discuss our current view on chromatin and methodology used to support the view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Sachiko Tamura
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Jeffrey C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Yuji Itoh
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
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28
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Mesoscale organization of the chromatin fiber. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 61:32-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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29
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Emergence of chromatin hierarchical loops from protein disorder and nucleosome asymmetry. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:7216-7224. [PMID: 32165536 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1910044117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein flexibility and disorder is emerging as a crucial modulator of chromatin structure. Histone tail disorder enables transient binding of different molecules to the nucleosomes, thereby promoting heterogeneous and dynamic internucleosome interactions and making possible recruitment of a wide-range of regulatory and remodeling proteins. On the basis of extensive multiscale modeling we reveal the importance of linker histone H1 protein disorder for chromatin hierarchical looping. Our multiscale approach bridges microsecond-long bias-exchange metadynamics molecular dynamics simulations of atomistic 211-bp nucleosomes with coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulations of 100-nucleosome systems. We show that the long C-terminal domain (CTD) of H1-a ubiquitous nucleosome-binding protein-remains disordered when bound to the nucleosome. Notably, such CTD disorder leads to an asymmetric and dynamical nucleosome conformation that promotes chromatin structural flexibility and establishes long-range hierarchical loops. Furthermore, the degree of condensation and flexibility of H1 can be fine-tuned, explaining chromosomal differences of interphase versus metaphase states that correspond to partial and hyperphosphorylated H1, respectively. This important role of H1 protein disorder in large-scale chromatin organization has a wide range of biological implications.
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30
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Chikhirzhina EV, Starkova TY, Polyanichko AM. The Role of Linker Histones in Chromatin Structural Organization. 2. Interaction with DNA and Nuclear Proteins. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350920020049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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31
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Bendandi A, Dante S, Zia SR, Diaspro A, Rocchia W. Chromatin Compaction Multiscale Modeling: A Complex Synergy Between Theory, Simulation, and Experiment. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:15. [PMID: 32158765 PMCID: PMC7051991 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that trigger chromatin compaction, its patterns, and the factors they depend on, is a fundamental and still open question in Biology. Chromatin compacts and reinforces DNA and is a stable but dynamic structure, to make DNA accessible to proteins. In recent years, computational advances have provided larger amounts of data and have made large-scale simulations more viable. Experimental techniques for the extraction and reconstitution of chromatin fibers have improved, reinvigorating theoretical and experimental interest in the topic and stimulating debate on points previously considered as certainties regarding chromatin. A great assortment of approaches has emerged, from all-atom single-nucleosome or oligonucleosome simulations to various degrees of coarse graining, to polymer models, to fractal-like structures and purely topological models. Different fiber-start patterns have been studied in theory and experiment, as well as different linker DNA lengths. DNA is a highly charged macromolecule, making ionic and electrostatic interactions extremely important for chromatin topology and dynamics. Indeed, the repercussions of varying ionic concentration have been extensively examined at the computational level, using all-atom, coarse-grained, and continuum techniques. The presence of high-curvature AT-rich segments in DNA can cause conformational variations, attesting to the fact that the role of DNA is both structural and electrostatic. There have been some tentative attempts to describe the force fields governing chromatin conformational changes and the energy landscapes of these transitions, but the intricacy of the system has hampered reaching a consensus. The study of chromatin conformations is an intrinsically multiscale topic, influenced by a wide range of biological and physical interactions, spanning from the atomic to the chromosome level. Therefore, powerful modeling techniques and carefully planned experiments are required for an overview of the most relevant phenomena and interactions. The topic provides fertile ground for interdisciplinary studies featuring a synergy between theoretical and experimental scientists from different fields and the cross-validation of respective results, with a multi-scale perspective. Here, we summarize some of the most representative approaches, and focus on the importance of electrostatics and solvation, often overlooked aspects of chromatin modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemi Bendandi
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Nanophysics & NIC@IIT, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Dante
- Nanophysics & NIC@IIT, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Syeda Rehana Zia
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Alberto Diaspro
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Nanophysics & NIC@IIT, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Walter Rocchia
- Concept Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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32
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Huang K, Li Y, Shim AR, Virk RKA, Agrawal V, Eshein A, Nap RJ, Almassalha LM, Backman V, Szleifer I. Physical and data structure of 3D genome. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay4055. [PMID: 31950084 PMCID: PMC6954067 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay4055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
With the textbook view of chromatin folding based on the 30-nm fiber being challenged, it has been proposed that interphase DNA has an irregular 10-nm nucleosome polymer structure whose folding philosophy is unknown. Nevertheless, experimental advances suggest that this irregular packing is associated with many nontrivial physical properties that are puzzling from a polymer physics point of view. Here, we show that the reconciliation of these exotic properties necessitates modularizing three-dimensional genome into tree data structures on top of, and in striking contrast to, the linear topology of DNA double helix. These functional modules need to be connected and isolated by an open backbone that results in porous and heterogeneous packing in a quasi-self-similar manner, as revealed by our electron and optical imaging. Our multiscale theoretical and experimental results suggest the existence of higher-order universal folding principles for a disordered chromatin fiber to avoid entanglement and fulfill its biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Corresponding author. (K.H.); (V.B.); (I.S.)
| | - Yue Li
- Applied Physics Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Anne R. Shim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Ranya K. A. Virk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Vasundhara Agrawal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Adam Eshein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Rikkert J. Nap
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Luay M. Almassalha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Vadim Backman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Corresponding author. (K.H.); (V.B.); (I.S.)
| | - Igal Szleifer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Corresponding author. (K.H.); (V.B.); (I.S.)
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33
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Grigoryev SA, Popova EY. Attraction of Likenesses: Mechanisms of Self-Association and Compartmentalization of Eukaryotic Chromatin. Mol Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893319060050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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34
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Otterstrom J, Castells-Garcia A, Vicario C, Gomez-Garcia PA, Cosma MP, Lakadamyali M. Super-resolution microscopy reveals how histone tail acetylation affects DNA compaction within nucleosomes in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:8470-8484. [PMID: 31287868 PMCID: PMC6895258 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin organization is crucial for regulating gene expression. Previously, we showed that nucleosomes form groups, termed clutches. Clutch size correlated with the pluripotency grade of mouse embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells. Recently, it was also shown that regions of the chromatin containing activating epigenetic marks were composed of small and dispersed chromatin nanodomains with lower DNA density compared to the larger silenced domains. Overall, these results suggest that clutch size may regulate DNA packing density and gene activity. To directly test this model, we carried out 3D, two-color super-resolution microscopy of histones and DNA with and without increased histone tail acetylation. Our results showed that lower percentage of DNA was associated with nucleosome clutches in hyperacetylated cells. We further showed that the radius and compaction level of clutch-associated DNA decreased in hyperacetylated cells, especially in regions containing several neighboring clutches. Importantly, this change was independent of clutch size but dependent on the acetylation state of the clutch. Our results directly link the epigenetic state of nucleosome clutches to their DNA packing density. Our results further provide in vivo support to previous in vitro models that showed a disruption of nucleosome-DNA interactions upon hyperacetylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Otterstrom
- ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona
| | - Alvaro Castells-Garcia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Chiara Vicario
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Pablo A Gomez-Garcia
- ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona.,Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Maria Pia Cosma
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain.,Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou 510005, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Melike Lakadamyali
- ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona.,Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Clinical Research Building, 415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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35
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Gornik SG, Hu I, Lassadi I, Waller RF. The Biochemistry and Evolution of the Dinoflagellate Nucleus. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7080245. [PMID: 31398798 PMCID: PMC6723414 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7080245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dinoflagellates are known to possess a highly aberrant nucleus-the so-called dinokaryon-that exhibits a multitude of exceptional biological features. These include: (1) Permanently condensed chromosomes; (2) DNA in a cholesteric liquid crystalline state, (3) extremely large DNA content (up to 200 pg); and, perhaps most strikingly, (4) a deficit of histones-the canonical building blocks of all eukaryotic chromatin. Dinoflagellates belong to the Alveolata clade (dinoflagellates, apicomplexans, and ciliates) and, therefore, the biological oddities observed in dinoflagellate nuclei are derived character states. Understanding the sequence of changes that led to the dinokaryon has been difficult in the past with poor resolution of dinoflagellate phylogeny. Moreover, lack of knowledge of their molecular composition has constrained our understanding of the molecular properties of these derived nuclei. However, recent advances in the resolution of the phylogeny of dinoflagellates, particularly of the early branching taxa; the realization that divergent histone genes are present; and the discovery of dinoflagellate-specific nuclear proteins that were acquired early in dinoflagellate evolution have all thrown new light nature and evolution of the dinokaryon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian G Gornik
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Universität Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ian Hu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Imen Lassadi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Ross F Waller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK
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36
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Iashina EG, Filatov MV, Pantina RA, Varfolomeeva EY, Bouwman WG, Duif CP, Honecker D, Pipich V, Grigoriev SV. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and spin-echo SANS measurements reveal the logarithmic fractal structure of the large-scale chromatin organization in HeLa nuclei. J Appl Crystallogr 2019. [DOI: 10.1107/s160057671900921x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper reports on the two-scale fractal structure of chromatin organization in the nucleus of the HeLa cell. Two neutron scattering methods, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and spin-echo SANS, are used to unambiguously identify the large-scale structure as being a logarithmic fractal with the correlation function γ(r) ∼ ln(r/ξ). The smaller-scale structural level is shown to be a volume fractal with dimension D
F = 2.41. By definition, the volume fractal is self-similar at different scales, while the logarithmic fractal is hierarchically changed upon scaling. As a result, the logarithmic fractal is more compact than the volume fractal but still has a rather high surface area, which provides accessibility at all length scales. Apparently such bi-fractal chromatin organization is the result of an evolutionary process of optimizing the compactness and accessibility of gene packing. As they are in a water solution, the HeLa nuclei tend to agglomerate over time. The large-scale logarithmic fractal structure of chromatin provides the HeLa nucleus with the possibility of penetrating deeply into the adjacent nucleus during the agglomeration process. The interpenetration phenomenon of the HeLa nuclei shows that the chromatin-free space of one nucleus is not negligible but is as large as the volume occupied by chromatin itself. It is speculated that it is the logarithmic fractal architecture of chromatin that provides a comfortable compartment for this most important function of the cell.
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37
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Maeshima K, Ide S, Babokhov M. Dynamic chromatin organization without the 30-nm fiber. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2019; 58:95-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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38
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Abstract
Nucleosomes and chromatin control eukaryotic genome accessibility and thereby regulate DNA processes, including transcription, replication, and repair. Conformational dynamics within the nucleosome and chromatin structure play a key role in this regulatory function. Structural fluctuations continuously expose internal DNA sequences and nucleosome surfaces, thereby providing transient access for the nuclear machinery. Progress in structural studies of nucleosomes and chromatin has provided detailed insight into local chromatin organization and has set the stage for recent in-depth investigations of the structural dynamics of nucleosomes and chromatin fibers. Here, we discuss the dynamic processes observed in chromatin over different length scales and timescales and review current knowledge about the biophysics of distinct structural transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beat Fierz
- Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael G. Poirier
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State Biochemistry Graduate Program, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1117, USA
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39
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Unraveling the multiplex folding of nucleosome chains in higher order chromatin. Essays Biochem 2019; 63:109-121. [PMID: 31015386 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The DNA of eukaryotic chromatin and chromosomes is repeatedly supercoiled around histone octamers forming 'beads-on-a-string' chains of nucleosomes. The extent of nucleosome chain folding and DNA accessibility vary between different functional and epigenetic states of nuclear chromatin and change dramatically upon cell differentiation, but the molecular mechanisms that direct 3D folding of the nucleosome chain in vivo are still enigmatic. Recent advances in cell imaging and chromosome capture techniques have radically challenged the established paradigm of regular and hierarchical chromatin fibers by highlighting irregular chromatin organization and the importance of the nuclear skeletal structures hoisting the nucleosome chains. Here, we argue that, by analyzing individual structural elements of the nucleosome chain - nucleosome spacing, linker DNA conformations, internucleosomal interactions, and nucleosome chain flexibility - and integrating these elements in multiplex 3D structural models, we can predict the features of the multiplex chromatin folding assemblies underlying distinct developmental and epigenetic states in living cells. Furthermore, partial disassembly of the nuclear structures suspending chromatin fibers may reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of nucleosome chain folding. These mechanisms and structures are expected to provide molecular cues to modify chromatin structure and functions related to developmental and disease processes.
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40
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Dynamic chromatin organization in the cell. Essays Biochem 2019; 63:133-145. [PMID: 30967477 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The organization and regulation of genomic DNA as nuclear chromatin is necessary for proper DNA function inside living eukaryotic cells. While this has been extensively explored, no true consensus is currently reached regarding the exact mechanism of chromatin organization. The traditional view has assumed that the DNA is packaged into a hierarchy of structures inside the nucleus based on the regular 30-nm chromatin fiber. This is currently being challenged by the fluid-like model of the chromatin which views the chromatin as a dynamic structure based on the irregular 10-nm fiber. In this review, we focus on the recent progress in chromatin structure elucidation highlighting the paradigm shift in chromatin folding mechanism from the classical textbook perspective of the regularly folded chromatin to the more dynamic fluid-like perspective.
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41
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Chromatin fiber structural motifs as regulatory hubs of genome function? Essays Biochem 2019; 63:123-132. [PMID: 30967476 PMCID: PMC6484786 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nucleosomes cover eukaryotic genomes like beads on a string and play a central role in regulating genome function. Isolated strings of nucleosomes have the potential to compact and form higher order chromatin structures, such as the well-characterized 30-nm fiber. However, despite tremendous advances in observing chromatin fibers in situ it has not been possible to confirm that regularly ordered fibers represent a prevalent structural level in the folding of chromosomes. Instead, it appears that folding at a larger scale than the nucleosome involves a variety of random structures with fractal characteristics. Nevertheless, recent progress provides evidence for the existence of structural motifs in chromatin fibers, potentially localized to strategic sites in the genome. Here we review the current understanding of chromatin fiber folding and the emerging roles that oligonucleosomal motifs play in the regulation of genome function.
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42
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Xie WJ, Zhang B. Learning the Formation Mechanism of Domain-Level Chromatin States with Epigenomics Data. Biophys J 2019; 116:2047-2056. [PMID: 31053260 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications can extend over long genomic regions to form domain-level chromatin states that play critical roles in gene regulation. The molecular mechanism for the establishment and maintenance of these states is not fully understood and remains challenging to study with existing experimental techniques. Here, we took a data-driven approach and parameterized an information-theoretic model to infer the formation mechanism of domain-level chromatin states from genome-wide epigenetic modification profiles. This model reproduces statistical correlations among histone modifications and identifies well-known states. Importantly, it predicts drastically different mechanisms and kinetic pathways for the formation of euchromatin and heterochromatin. In particular, long, strong enhancer and promoter states grow gradually from short but stable regulatory elements via a multistep process. On the other hand, the formation of heterochromatin states is highly cooperative, and no intermediate states are found along the transition path. This cooperativity can arise from a chromatin looping-mediated spreading of histone methylation mark and supports collapsed, globular three-dimensional conformations rather than regular fibril structures for heterochromatin. We further validated these predictions using changes of epigenetic profiles along cell differentiation. Our study demonstrates that information-theoretic models can go beyond statistical analysis to derive insightful kinetic information that is otherwise difficult to access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jun Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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43
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Schwartz U, Németh A, Diermeier S, Exler JH, Hansch S, Maldonado R, Heizinger L, Merkl R, Längst G. Characterizing the nuclease accessibility of DNA in human cells to map higher order structures of chromatin. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:1239-1254. [PMID: 30496478 PMCID: PMC6379673 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Packaging of DNA into chromatin regulates DNA accessibility and consequently all DNA-dependent processes. The nucleosome is the basic packaging unit of DNA forming arrays that are suggested, by biochemical studies, to fold hierarchically into ordered higher-order structures of chromatin. This organization has been recently questioned using microscopy techniques, proposing an irregular structure. To address the principles of chromatin organization, we applied an in situ differential MNase-seq strategy and analyzed in silico the results of complete and partial digestions of human chromatin. We investigated whether different levels of chromatin packaging exist in the cell. We assessed the accessibility of chromatin within distinct domains of kb to Mb genomic regions, performed statistical analyses and computer modelling. We found no difference in MNase accessibility, suggesting no difference in fiber folding between domains of euchromatin and heterochromatin or between other sequence and epigenomic features of chromatin. Thus, our data suggests the absence of differentially organized domains of higher-order structures of chromatin. Moreover, we identified only local structural changes, with individual hyper-accessible nucleosomes surrounding regulatory elements, such as enhancers and transcription start sites. The regulatory sites per se are occupied with structurally altered nucleosomes, exhibiting increased MNase sensitivity. Our findings provide biochemical evidence that supports an irregular model of large-scale chromatin organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Schwartz
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Attila Németh
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Diermeier
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Josef H Exler
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Hansch
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Maldonado
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Leonhard Heizinger
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Merkl
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gernot Längst
- Department of Biochemistry III, University of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
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44
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Bass MV, Nikitina T, Norouzi D, Zhurkin VB, Grigoryev SA. Nucleosome spacing periodically modulates nucleosome chain folding and DNA topology in circular nucleosome arrays. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:4233-4246. [PMID: 30630950 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The length of linker DNA that separates nucleosomes is highly variable, but its mechanistic role in modulating chromatin structure and functions remains unknown. Here, we established an experimental system using circular arrays of positioned nucleosomes to investigate whether variations in nucleosome linker length could affect nucleosome folding, self-association, and interactions. We conducted EM, DNA topology, native electrophoretic assays, and Mg2+-dependent self-association assays to study intrinsic folding of linear and circular nucleosome arrays with linker DNA length of 36 bp and 41 bp (3.5 turns and 4 turns of DNA double helix, respectively). These experiments revealed that potential artifacts arising from open DNA ends and full DNA relaxation in the linear arrays do not significantly affect overall chromatin compaction and self-association. We observed that the 0.5 DNA helical turn difference between the two DNA linker lengths significantly affects DNA topology and nucleosome interactions. In particular, the 41-bp linkers promoted interactions between any two nucleosome beads separated by one bead as expected for a zigzag fiber, whereas the 36-bp linkers promoted interactions between two nucleosome beads separated by two other beads and also reduced negative superhelicity. Monte Carlo simulations accurately reproduce periodic modulations of chromatin compaction, DNA topology, and internucleosomal interactions with a 10-bp periodicity. We propose that the nucleosome spacing and associated chromatin structure modulations may play an important role in formation of different chromatin epigenetic states, thus suggesting implications for how chromatin accessibility to DNA-binding factors and the RNA transcription machinery is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail V Bass
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033.,Biological Faculty, Department of Molecular Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia, and
| | - Tatiana Nikitina
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Davood Norouzi
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Victor B Zhurkin
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Sergei A Grigoryev
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033,
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45
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Lazniewski M, Dawson WK, Rusek AM, Plewczynski D. One protein to rule them all: The role of CCCTC-binding factor in shaping human genome in health and disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 90:114-127. [PMID: 30096365 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The eukaryotic genome, constituting several billion base pairs, must be contracted to fit within the volume of a nucleus where the diameter is on the scale of μm. The 3D structure and packing of such a long sequence cannot be left to pure chance, as DNA must be efficiently used for its primary roles as a matrix for transcription and replication. In recent years, methods like chromatin conformation capture (including 3C, 4C, Hi-C, ChIA-PET and Multi-ChIA) and optical microscopy have advanced substantially and have shed new light on how eukaryotic genomes are hierarchically organized; first into 10-nm fiber, next into DNA loops, topologically associated domains and finally into interphase or mitotic chromosomes. This knowledge has allowed us to revise our understanding regarding the mechanisms governing the process of DNA organization. Mounting experimental evidence suggests that the key element in the formation of loops is the binding of the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) to DNA; a protein that can be referred to as the chief organizer of the genome. However, CTCF does not work alone but in cooperation with other proteins, such as cohesin or Yin Yang 1 (YY1). In this short review, we briefly describe our current understanding of the structure of eukaryotic genomes, how they are established and how the formation of DNA loops can influence gene expression. We discuss the recent discoveries describing the 3D structure of the CTCF-DNA complex and the role of CTCF in establishing genome structure. Finally, we briefly explain how various genetic disorders might arise as a consequence of mutations in the CTCF target sequence or alteration of genomic imprinting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Lazniewski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wayne K Dawson
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 103-8657, Japan
| | - Anna Maria Rusek
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Clinical Molecular Biology Department, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Dariusz Plewczynski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Centre for Innovative Research, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.
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46
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Maeshima K, Tamura S, Shimamoto Y. Chromatin as a nuclear spring. Biophys Physicobiol 2018; 15:189-195. [PMID: 30349803 PMCID: PMC6194950 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.15.0_189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus in eukaryotic cells is the site for genomic functions such as RNA transcription, DNA replication, and DNA repair/recombination. However, the nucleus is subjected to various mechanical forces associated with diverse cellular activities, including contraction, migration, and adhesion. Although it has long been assumed that the lamina structure, underlying filamentous mesh-work of the nuclear envelope, plays an important role in resisting mechanical forces, the involvement of compact chromatin in mechanical resistance has also recently been suggested. However, it is still unclear how chromatin functions to cope with the stresses. To address this issue, we studied the mechanical responses of human cell nuclei by combining a force measurement microscopy setup with controlled biochemical manipulation of chromatin. We found that nuclei with condensed chromatin possess significant elastic rigidity, whereas the nuclei with a decondensed chromatin are considerably soft. Further analyses revealed that the linker DNA and nucleosome-nucleosome interactions via histone tails in the chromatin act together to generate a spring-like restoring force that resists nuclear deformation. The elastic restoring force is likely to be generated by condensed chromatin domains, consisting of interdigitated or "melted" 10-nm nucleosome fibers. Together with other recent studies, it is suggested that chromatin functions not only as a "memory device" to store, replicate, and express the genetic information for various cellular functions but also as a "nuclear spring" to resist and respond to mechanical forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Biological Macromolecules Laboratory, Structural Biology Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.,Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Sachiko Tamura
- Biological Macromolecules Laboratory, Structural Biology Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Yuta Shimamoto
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.,Quantitative Mechanobiology Laboratory, Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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47
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Use of 3D imaging for providing insights into high-order structure of mitotic chromosomes. Chromosoma 2018; 128:7-13. [PMID: 30175387 PMCID: PMC6394650 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-018-0678-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The high-order structure of metaphase chromosomes remains still under investigation, especially the 30-nm structure that is still controversial. Advanced 3D imaging has provided useful information for our understanding of this detailed structure. It is evident that new technologies together with improved sample preparations and image analyses should be adequately combined. This mini review highlights 3D imaging used for chromosome analysis so far with future imaging directions also highlighted.
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48
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Sarmento MJ, Oneto M, Pelicci S, Pesce L, Scipioni L, Faretta M, Furia L, Dellino GI, Pelicci PG, Bianchini P, Diaspro A, Lanzanò L. Exploiting the tunability of stimulated emission depletion microscopy for super-resolution imaging of nuclear structures. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3415. [PMID: 30143630 PMCID: PMC6109149 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05963-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Imaging of nuclear structures within intact eukaryotic nuclei is imperative to understand the effect of chromatin folding on genome function. Recent developments of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy techniques combine high specificity, sensitivity, and less-invasive sample preparation procedures with the sub-diffraction spatial resolution required to image chromatin at the nanoscale. Here, we present a method to enhance the spatial resolution of a stimulated-emission depletion (STED) microscope based only on the modulation of the STED intensity during the acquisition of a STED image. This modulation induces spatially encoded variations of the fluorescence emission that can be visualized in the phasor plot and used to improve and quantify the effective spatial resolution of the STED image. We show that the method can be used to remove direct excitation by the STED beam and perform dual color imaging. We apply this method to the visualization of transcription and replication foci within intact nuclei of eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Sarmento
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the A.S.C.R. v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michele Oneto
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simone Pelicci
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, via Dodecaneso 33, 16146, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luca Pesce
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, via Dodecaneso 33, 16146, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Scipioni
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mario Faretta
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Furia
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaetano Ivan Dellino
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Bianchini
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Diaspro
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, via Dodecaneso 33, 16146, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Luca Lanzanò
- Nanoscopy, Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy.
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49
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Bilokapic S, Strauss M, Halic M. Cryo-EM of nucleosome core particle interactions in trans. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7046. [PMID: 29728587 PMCID: PMC5935684 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25429-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes, the basic unit of chromatin, are repetitively spaced along DNA and regulate genome expression and maintenance. The long linear chromatin molecule is extensively condensed to fit DNA inside the nucleus. How distant nucleosomes interact to build tertiary chromatin structure remains elusive. In this study, we used cryo-EM to structurally characterize different states of long range nucleosome core particle (NCP) interactions. Our structures show that NCP pairs can adopt multiple conformations, but, commonly, two NCPs are oriented with the histone octamers facing each other. In this conformation, the dyad of both nucleosome core particles is facing the same direction, however, the NCPs are laterally shifted and tilted. The histone octamer surface and histone tails in trans NCP pairs remain accessible to regulatory proteins. The overall conformational flexibility of the NCP pair suggests that chromatin tertiary structure is dynamic and allows access of various chromatin modifying machineries to nucleosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvija Bilokapic
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich LMU, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Mike Strauss
- Cryo-EM facility, Max Planck for Biochemistry, 82152, Martiensried, Germany
| | - Mario Halic
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich LMU, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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50
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Nucleosome-level 3D organization of the genome. Biochem Soc Trans 2018; 46:491-501. [PMID: 29626147 DOI: 10.1042/bst20170388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nucleosomes are the unitary structures of chromosome folding, and their arrangements are intimately coupled to the regulation of genome activities. Conventionally, structural analyses using electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography have been used to study such spatial nucleosome arrangements. In contrast, recent improvements in the resolution of sequencing-based methods allowed investigation of nucleosome arrangements separately at each genomic locus, enabling exploration of gene-dependent regulation mechanisms. Here, we review recent studies on nucleosome folding in chromosomes from these two methodological perspectives: conventional structural analyses and DNA sequencing, and discuss their implications for future research.
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