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Dimerization of the largest subunit of chromatin assembly factor 1: importance in vitro and during Xenopus early development
Author(s) -
Quivy JeanPierre,
Grandi Paola,
Almouzni Geneviève
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1093/emboj/20.8.2015
Subject(s) - biology , xenopus , protein subunit , chromatin , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , computational biology , dna , gene
To date, the in vivo importance of chromatin assembly factors during development in vertebrates is unknown. Chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF‐1) represents the best biochemically characterized factor promoting chromatin assembly during DNA replication or repair in human cell‐free systems. Here, we identify a Xenopus homologue of the largest subunit of CAF‐1 (p150). Novel dimerization properties are found conserved in both Xenopus and human p150. A region of 36 amino acids required for p150 dimerization was identified. Deletion of this domain abolishes the ability of p150 to promote chromatin assembly in vitro . A dominant‐negative interference based on these dimerization properties occurs both in vitro and in vivo . In the embryo, nuclear organization was severely affected and cell cycle progression was impaired during the rapid early cleaving stages of Xenopus development. We propose that the rapid proliferation at early developmental stages necessitates the unique properties of an assembly factor that can ensure a tight coupling between DNA replication or repair and chromatin assembly.