Level of ubiquitinated histone H2B in chromatin is coupled to ongoing transcription

Journal Article · Tue May 22 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Biochemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00472a002· OSTI ID:5324307

Davie, J R; Murphy, L C ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg (Canada)

The relationship between transcription and ubiquitination of the histones was investigated. Previous studies have shown that ubiquitinated (u) histone H2B and, to a lesser extend, mono- and polyubiquitinated histone H2A are enriched in transcriptionally active gene-enriched chromatin fractions. Here, the authors show that treatment of T-47D-5 human breast cancer cells with actinomycin D or 5,6-dichloro-1-{beta}-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole, inhibitors of heterogeneous nuclear RNA synthesis, selectively reduced the level of uH2B, but not uH2A, uH2A.Z, or polyubiquitinated H2A, in chromatin. Treatment of the cells with low levels of actinomycin D slightly reduced the level of uH2B, suggesting that inhibition of ribosomal RNA synthesis does not have a profound effect on the level of uH2B in chromatin. These results demonstrate that maintenance of the levels of uH2B in chromatin is dependent upon ongoing transcription, particularly the synthesis of hnRNA. Thus, histone H2B would be ubiquitinated when the nucleosome was opened during transcription. Ubiquitination of histone H2B may impede nucleosome refolding, facilitating subsequent rounds of transcription.

• OSTI ID: 5324307
• Journal Information: Biochemistry; (United States), Vol. 29:20; ISSN 0006-2960
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
HISTONES
TRANSCRIPTION
UBIQUINONE
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
ACTINOMYCIN
BUTYRIC ACID
CHROMATIN
ELECTROPHORESIS
ENZYME INDUCTION
FURANS
MAMMARY GLANDS
MAN
PROTEINS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TUMOR CELLS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL ELECTROPHORESIS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS
ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS
AROMATICS
BENZOQUINONES
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
COENZYMES
DRUGS
GENE REGULATION
GLANDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NUCLEOPROTEINS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PRIMATES
QUINONES
VERTEBRATES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques