Kluyveromyces lactis genome harbours a functional linker histone encoding gene

Linker histones are essential components of chromatin in eukaryotes. Through interactions with linker DNA and nucleosomes they facilitate folding and maintenance of higher-order chromatin structures and thus delicately modulate gene activity. The necessity of linker histones in lower eukaryotes appe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS yeast research 2016-06, Vol.16 (4), p.fow034
Main Authors: Staneva, Dessislava, Georgieva, Milena, Miloshev, George
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Histones - genetics
Histones - metabolism
Kluyveromyces - enzymology
Kluyveromyces - genetics
Open Reading Frames
Protein Biosynthesis
RNA Splicing
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Transcription, Genetic
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Summary:Linker histones are essential components of chromatin in eukaryotes. Through interactions with linker DNA and nucleosomes they facilitate folding and maintenance of higher-order chromatin structures and thus delicately modulate gene activity. The necessity of linker histones in lower eukaryotes appears controversial and dubious. Genomic data have shown that Schizosaccharomyces pombe does not possess genes encoding linker histones while Kluyveromyces lactis has been reported to have a pseudogene. Regarding this controversy, we have provided the first direct experimental evidence for the existence of a functional linker histone gene, KlLH1, in K. lactis genome. Sequencing of KlLH1 from both genomic DNA and copy DNA confirmed the presence of an intact open reading frame. Transcription and splicing of the KlLH1 sequence as well as translation of its mRNA have been studied. In silico analysis revealed homology of KlLH1p to the histone H1/H5 protein family with predicted three domain structure characteristic for the linker histones of higher eukaryotes. This strongly proves that the yeast K. lactis does indeed possess a functional linker histone gene thus entailing the evolutionary preservation and significance of linker histones. The nucleotide sequences of KlLH1 are deposited in the GenBank under accession numbers KT826576, KT826577 and KT826578. Kluyveromyces lactis has a functional linker histone gene (KlLH1), which is a syntenic ortholog of ScHHO1 gene and encodes a putative tripartite protein homologous to the histone H1/H5 protein family. Graphical Abstract Figure. Kluyveromyces lactis has a functional linker histone gene (KlLH1), which is a syntenic ortholog of ScHHO1 gene and encodes a putative tripartite protein homologous to the histone H1/H5 protein family.
ISSN:1567-1364
1567-1364
DOI:10.1093/femsyr/fow034