In:
eLife, eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, Vol. 8 ( 2019-11-06)
Abstract:
Nucleosomes restrict DNA accessibility throughout eukaryotic genomes, with repercussions for replication, transcription, and other DNA-templated processes. How this globally restrictive organization emerged during evolution remains poorly understood. Here, to better understand the challenges associated with establishing globally restrictive chromatin, we express histones in a naive system that has not evolved to deal with nucleosomal structures: Escherichia coli. We find that histone proteins from the archaeon Methanothermus fervidus assemble on the E. coli chromosome in vivo and protect DNA from micrococcal nuclease digestion, allowing us to map binding footprints genome-wide. We show that higher nucleosome occupancy at promoters is associated with lower transcript levels, consistent with local repressive effects. Surprisingly, however, this sudden enforced chromatinization has only mild repercussions for growth unless cells experience topological stress. Our results suggest that histones can become established as ubiquitous chromatin proteins without interfering critically with key DNA-templated processes.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2050-084X
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.001
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.002
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.003
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.004
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.005
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.006
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.007
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.008
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.009
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.010
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.011
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.012
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.013
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.014
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.015
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.017
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.016
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.018
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.019
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.020
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.021
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.022
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.023
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.039
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.040
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.025
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.49038.026
Language:
English
Publisher:
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Publication Date:
2019
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2687154-3