Review
Cell Biology
Laura Prendergast, Danny Reinberg
Summary: Recent advances in chromatin and epigenetics research have highlighted the significance of core histones, histone variants, and their post-translational modifications in regulating chromatin structure. The role of linker histone H1, which was previously understudied, has come into focus due to its evolutionary conservation, variability in PTMs, and unique functions across different cell types. Contrary to previous assumptions, histone H1 variants are now recognized for their independent roles in various chromatin-based processes, challenging the traditional view of their function solely in chromatin compaction and transcriptional repression.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yan-yang Gao, Zhuo-yan Ling, Yun-Rong Zhu, Ce Shi, Yin Wang, Xiang-yang Zhang, Zhi-qing Zhang, Qin Jiang, Min-Bin Chen, Shuofei Yang, Cong Cao
Summary: The study demonstrates that HBO1 is significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cells. Silencing or knocking out the HBO1 gene can effectively inhibit the growth and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, while overexpression of HBO1 promotes cell proliferation and migration.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yue Chen, Xin Yi, Bo Huo, Yi He, Xian Guo, Zihao Zhang, Xiaoxuan Zhong, Xin Feng, Ze-Min Fang, Xue-Hai Zhu, Xiang Wei, Ding-Sheng Jiang
Summary: Smooth muscle cell loss and aortic dissection (AD) development are associated with ferroptosis, a novel iron-dependent regulated cell death driven by lipid peroxidation accumulation. This study found that the ferroptosis-related molecules and lipid peroxidation product were increased in the aorta of AD. The histone methyltransferase inhibitor BRD4770 showed a protective effect on ferroptosis of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and attenuated aortic dilation and mortality in a mouse AD model.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Signe Schultz Pedersen, Lars Roed Ingerslev, Mathias Olsen, Michala Prause, Nils Billestrup
Summary: Butyrate can prevent pancreatic islet dysfunction by modifying histone acetylation levels, which may have potential therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
A. Kowalski, S. Knaga
Summary: This study evaluated genetic diversity among three varieties of Japanese quail with different plumage colors. The results show that the British Range and Tuxedo varieties have a characteristic set of histone H1 phenotypes, while the English White variety lacks certain phenotypes. The presence of outbreeding was indicated by an excess of heterozygotes at certain loci.
BRITISH POULTRY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Bo Yuan, Yi Yang, Zhichao Yan, Chun He, Yu H. Sun, Fei Wang, Beibei Wang, Jiamin Shi, Shan Xiao, Fang Wang, Qi Fang, Fei Li, Xinhai Ye, Gongyin Ye
Summary: The linker histone H1 plays a role in folding nucleosomes into a higher-order chromatin structure and has specialized functions in cellular processes. Germline-specific H1 variants have diverse roles in chromatin structure changes during gametogenesis. This study identifies two germline-enriched H1 variants in the testis of the parasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum and shows their distinct functions in chromatin structure and sperm fertility.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Benjamin J. Bernard, Nupur Nigam, Kyunghee Burkitt, Vassiliki Saloura
Summary: Chromatin modifiers are enzymes that alter chromatin structure through various post-translational modifications, influencing transcription. SMYD3, a chromatin modifier implicated in cancer, has been shown to methylate not only histones but also non-histone substrates, impacting cancer prognosis and function. Ongoing efforts to develop inhibitors of SMYD3 for therapeutic use are underway, aiming to advance future discovery and treatment in cancer research.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Jie Cui, Yamin Zhang, Xiaoyue Ren, Lei Jin, Hongyi Zhang
Summary: TBX1 is highly expressed in PCa and is positively correlated with disease progression and survival. By inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell cycle arrest in PCa, TBX1 may exert its function through influencing rRNA gene transcription.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Jose Miguel Fernandez-Justel, Cristina Santa-Maria, Sara Martin-Virgala, Shreya Ramesh, Alberto Ferrera-Lagoa, Monica Salinas-Pena, Javier Isoler-Alcaraz, Magdalena M. Maslon, Albert Jordan, Javier F. Caceres, Maria Gomez
Summary: This study reveals the important regulatory roles of histone H1 in chromatin structure and transcription. Histone H1 prevents non-coding RNA transcription and regulates their turnover on chromatin. The loss of histone H1 leads to reduced m6A modification levels and replication-transcription conflicts.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ankita Saha, Yamini Dalal
Summary: Histone H1s, a family of chromatin compacting proteins, play essential roles in higher-order chromatin organization. Recent research suggests that different H1 family members have distinct affinities for chromatin and may impact different functions. Advances in technology have improved our understanding of how H1 interacts with chromatin and its importance in epigenetics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eva Hoellmueller, Simon Geigges, Marie L. Niedermeier, Kai-Michael Kammer, Simon M. Kienle, Daniel Roesner, Martin Scheffner, Andreas Marx, Florian Stengel
Summary: The site-specific ubiquitylation of H1 results in distinct interactomes, regulates phase separation, and modulates assembly of chromatosomes, highlighting a general regulatory role for linker histone H1.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Linda C. Horianopoulos, Christopher W. J. Lee, Kerstin Schmitt, Oliver Valerius, Guanggan Hu, Melissa Caza, Gerhard H. Braus, James W. Kronstad
Summary: This study identifies a nuclear J domain protein, Dnj4, in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, demonstrating its role as a histone chaperone important for maintaining genome integrity and responding to DNA damage. Dnj4 regulates iron homeostasis and plays a crucial role in DNA damage response in C. neoformans. Additionally, Dnj4 functions as a conserved histone chaperone disrupting endogenous histone chaperoning machinery, suggesting its potential in understanding biological processes across different organisms.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Kiyoshi Yasui, Takeya Nakagawa, Naoko Hattori, Takashi Ito
Summary: Acetylation of histone H1 activates transcription, while deacetylation represses it. NAP-1 is found to inhibit acetylation of H1 by p300 and contributes to transcriptional regulation by fine-tuning H1 acetylation levels. Knockdown of NAP-1 leads to downregulation of genes in Drosophila cells, indicating its role in transcriptional regulation.
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
George Hunt, Ann Boija, Mattias Mannervik
Summary: Maintenance of appropriate cell states involves epigenetic mechanisms, including Polycomb-group (PcG)-mediated transcriptional repression. This study reveals the association between the p300/CREB-binding protein (CBP) co-activator and PcG regions in Drosophila and mouse cells. CBP stabilizes Pol II at PcG-bound repressive sites and promotes Pol II pausing, which are necessary for R-loop formation and nucleosome depletion at Polycomb Response Elements (PREs), thereby supporting PcG-mediated silencing.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vinicius D. Nirello, Dieggo Rodrigues de Paula, Nathalia V. P. AraOjo, Patrick D. Varga-Weisz
Summary: This article discusses the relationship between histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) and cellular metabolic states, emphasizing the potential role of metabolite information in understanding the functions and evolution of histone PTMs.
TRENDS IN BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES
(2022)