Alternative linker histone permits fast paced nuclear divisions in early Drosophila embryo

In most animals, the start of embryogenesis requires specific histones. In Drosophila linker histone variant BigH1 is present in early embryos. To uncover the specific role of this alternative linker histone at early embryogenesis, we established fly lines in which domains of BigH1 have been replace...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Henn László
Szabó Anikó
Imre László
Román Ádám
Ábrahám Andrea
Vedelek Balázs
Nánási Péter, Ifj
Boros Imre Miklós
Format: Article
Published: 2020
Series:NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH 48 No. 16
doi:10.1093/nar/gkaa624

mtmt:31397830
Online Access:http://publicatio.bibl.u-szeged.hu/19962
Description
Summary:In most animals, the start of embryogenesis requires specific histones. In Drosophila linker histone variant BigH1 is present in early embryos. To uncover the specific role of this alternative linker histone at early embryogenesis, we established fly lines in which domains of BigH1 have been replaced partially or completely with that of H1. Analysis of the resulting Drosophila lines revealed that at normal temperature somatic H1 can substitute the alternative linker histone, but at low temperature the globular and C-terminal domains of BigH1 are essential for embryogenesis. In the presence of BigH1 nucleosome stability increases and core histone incorporation into nucleosomes is more rapid, while nucleosome spacing is unchanged. Chromatin formation in the presence of BigH1 permits the fast-paced nuclear divisions of the early embryo. We propose a model which explains how this specific linker histone ensures the rapid nucleosome reassembly required during quick replication cycles at the start of embryogenesis.
Physical Description:9007-9018
ISSN:0305-1048