Project name: Homo sapiens

Description: Histone acetyltransferases (HAT) assemble into multisubunit complexes in order to target distinct lysine residues on nucleosomal histones. Here, we characterize native HAT complexes assembled by the BRPF-family of scaffold proteins. Their PHD-ZnKnuckle-PHD domain is essential for binding chromatin and restricted to unmethylated H3K4, a specificity that is reversed by the associated ING subunit. Native BRPF1 complexes can contain either MOZ/MORF or HBO1 as catalytic acetyltransferase subunit. Interestingly, while the previously reported HBO1 complexes containing JADE scaffold proteins target histone H4, the HBO1-BRPF1 complex acetylates only H3 in chromatin. We mapped a small region at the N-terminus of scaffold proteins responsible for histone tail selection on chromatin. Thus, alternate choice of subunits associated with HBO1 can switch its specificity from H4 to H3 tails, highlighting a crucial new role of associated subunits within HAT complexes, previously thought to be intrinsic to the catalytic subunit.Overall design: Genome-wide mapping of MYST acetyltransferases subunits and H3K4me3 histone mark in RKO cells.

Data type: Epigenomics

Sample scope: Multiisolate

Relevance: Medical

Last updated: 2013-05-22