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

Journal Article · Tue May 22 04:00:00 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), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (United States) Vol. 29:20; ISSN 0006-2960; ISSN BICHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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