The Fun30 chromatin remodeler Fft3 controls nuclear organization and chromatin structure of insulators and subtelomeres in fission yeast

• Published in: PLoS genetics 2015-03, Vol.11 (3), p.e1005101-e1005101
• Main Authors: Steglich, Babett, Strålfors, Annelie, Khorosjutina, Olga, Persson, Jenna, Smialowska, Agata, Javerzat, Jean-Paul, Ekwall, Karl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cell Nucleus; Cell Nucleus - genetics; Chromatin; Chromatin - genetics; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly - genetics; Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone - biosynthesis; Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone - genetics; Chromosomes; Enzymes; Experiments; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genomes; Genomics; Identification and classification; Insulator Elements; Insulator Elements - genetics; Life Sciences; Membrane Proteins; Membrane Proteins - biosynthesis; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Nuclear Proteins; Nuclear Proteins - biosynthesis; Nuclear Proteins - genetics; Nucleosomes; Nucleosomes - genetics; Physiological aspects; Proteins; RNA polymerase; RNA, Transfer; RNA, Transfer - genetics; Schizosaccharomyces; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - biosynthesis; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - genetics; Standard deviation; Telomere; Telomere - genetics; Terminal Repeat Sequences; Terminal Repeat Sequences - genetics; Transcription, Genetic; Yeast; Yeasts (Fungi)
• ISSN: 1553-7404; 1553-7390; 1553-7404
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005101

In eukaryotic cells, local chromatin structure and chromatin organization in the nucleus both influence transcriptional regulation. At the local level, the Fun30 chromatin remodeler Fft3 is essential for maintaining proper chromatin structure at centromeres and subtelomeres in fission yeast. Using genome-wide mapping and live cell imaging, we show that this role is linked to controlling nuclear organization of its targets. In fft3∆ cells, subtelomeres lose their association with the LEM domain protein Man1 at the nuclear periphery and move to the interior of the nucleus. Furthermore, genes in these domains are upregulated and active chromatin marks increase. Fft3 is also enriched at retrotransposon-derived long terminal repeat (LTR) elements and at tRNA genes. In cells lacking Fft3, these sites lose their peripheral positioning and show reduced nucleosome occupancy. We propose that Fft3 has a global role in mediating association between specific chromatin domains and the nuclear envelope.