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DNA methylation‐dependent chromatin fiber compaction in vivo and in vitro: requirement for linker histone
Author(s) -
Karymov Mikhail A.,
Tomschik Miroslav,
Leuba Sanford H.,
Caiafa Paola,
Zlatanova Jordanka
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.01-0345com
Subject(s) - chromatin , linker dna , histone , chemistry , dna methylation , epigenomics , linker , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , histone methylation , biophysics , biology , biochemistry , nucleosome , gene , gene expression , computer science , operating system
Dynamic alterations in chromatin structure mediated by postsynthetic histone modifications and DNA methylation constitute a major regulatory mechanism in DNA functioning. DNA methylation has been implicated in transcriptional silencing, in part by inducing chromatin condensation. To understand the methylation‐dependent chromatin structure, we performed atomic force microscope (AFM) studies of fibers isolated from cultured cells containing normal or elevated levels of m 5 C. Chromatin fibers were reconstituted on control or methylated DNA templates in the presence or absence of linker histone. Visual inspection of AFM images, combined with quantitative analysis of fiber structural parameters, suggested that DNA meth‐ylation induced fiber compaction only in the presence of linker histones. This conclusion was further substantiated by biochemical results.—Karymov, M. A., Tomschik, M., Leuba, S. H., Caiafa, P., Zlatanova, J. DNA methylation‐dependent chromatin fiber compaction in vivo and in vitro: requirement for linker histone. FASEB J. 15, 2631–2641 (2001)