👤 Gabriela Galiová

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1), which binds to sites of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation, is primarily responsible for gene silencing and the formation of heterochromatin. We observed that HP1 beta is located in both the chromocenters and fibrillarin-positive nucleoli interiors. However, HP1 alpha and HP1 gamma occupied fibrillarin-positive compartments to a lesser extent, corresponding to the distinct levels of HP1 subtypes at the promoter of rDNA genes. Deficiency of histone methyltransferases SUV39h and/or inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACi) decreased HP1 beta and H3K9 trimethylation at chromocenters, but not in fibrillarin-positive regions that co-localized with RNA polymerase I. Similarly, SUV39h- and HDACi-dependent nucleolar rearrangement and inhibition of rDNA transcription did not affect the association between HP1 beta and fibrillarin. Moreover, the presence of HP1 beta in nucleoli is likely connected with transcription of ribosomal genes and with the role of fibrillarin in nucleolar processes. Show less

Recent studies have shown that histone code dictates the type and structure of chromatin. Bearing in mind the importance of A-type lamins for chromatin arrangement, we studied the effect of trichostatin A (TSA)-induced histone hyperacetylation in lamin A/C-deficient (LMNA-/-) fibroblasts. Lamin A/C deficiency caused condensation of chromosome territories and the nuclear reorganization of centromeric heterochromatin, which was accompanied by the appearance of a chain-like morphology of HP1beta foci. Conversely, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition induced de-condensation of chromosome territories, which compensated the effect of lamin A/C deficiency on chromosome regions. The amount of heterochromatin in the area associated with the nuclear membrane was significantly reduced in LMNA-/- cells when compared with lamin A/C-positive (LMNA+/+) fibroblasts. TSA also decreased the amount of peripheral heterochromatin, similarly as lamin A/C deficiency. In both LMNA+/+ and LMNA-/- cells, physically larger chromosomes were positioned more peripherally as compared with the smaller ones, even after TSA treatment. Our observations indicate that lamin A/C deficiency causes not only reorganization of chromatin and some chromatin-associated domains, but also has an impact on the extent of chromosome condensation. As HDAC inhibition can compensate the lamin A/C-dependent chromatin changes, the interaction between lamins and specifically modified histones may play an important role in higher-order chromatin organization, which influences transcriptional activity. Show less