Abstract
Alu sequences are interspersed throughout the genomes of primate cells, occurring singly and in clusters around RNA polymerase II-transcribed genes. Because these repeat elements are capable of positioning nucleosomes in in vitro reconstitutes (Englander, E. W. Wolffe, A. P. and Howard, B. H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 1956519573), we investigated whether they also influence in vivo chromatin structure. When assayed collectively using consensus sequence probes and native chromatin as template, Alu family members were found to confer rotational positioning on nucleosomes or nucleosome-like particles. In particular, a 10-base pair pattern of DNase I nicking that spanned the RNA polymerase III box A promoter motif extended upstream to cover diverse 5'-flanking sequences, suggesting that Alu repeats may influence patterns of nucleosome formation over neighboring regions. Computational analysis of a set of naturally occurring Alu sequences indicated that nucleosome positioning information is intrinsic to these elements. Inasmuch as local chromatin organization influences gene expression, the capacity of Alu sequences to affect chromatin structure as demonstrated here may help to clarify some features of these elements.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 10091-10096 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Biological Chemistry |
| Volume | 270 |
| Issue number | 17 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1995 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
Cite this
Nucleosome positioning by human Alu elements in chromatin. / Englander, Ella; Howard, B. H.
In: Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 270, No. 17, 1995, p. 10091-10096.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Nucleosome positioning by human Alu elements in chromatin
AU - Englander, Ella
AU - Howard, B. H.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - Alu sequences are interspersed throughout the genomes of primate cells, occurring singly and in clusters around RNA polymerase II-transcribed genes. Because these repeat elements are capable of positioning nucleosomes in in vitro reconstitutes (Englander, E. W. Wolffe, A. P. and Howard, B. H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 1956519573), we investigated whether they also influence in vivo chromatin structure. When assayed collectively using consensus sequence probes and native chromatin as template, Alu family members were found to confer rotational positioning on nucleosomes or nucleosome-like particles. In particular, a 10-base pair pattern of DNase I nicking that spanned the RNA polymerase III box A promoter motif extended upstream to cover diverse 5'-flanking sequences, suggesting that Alu repeats may influence patterns of nucleosome formation over neighboring regions. Computational analysis of a set of naturally occurring Alu sequences indicated that nucleosome positioning information is intrinsic to these elements. Inasmuch as local chromatin organization influences gene expression, the capacity of Alu sequences to affect chromatin structure as demonstrated here may help to clarify some features of these elements.
AB - Alu sequences are interspersed throughout the genomes of primate cells, occurring singly and in clusters around RNA polymerase II-transcribed genes. Because these repeat elements are capable of positioning nucleosomes in in vitro reconstitutes (Englander, E. W. Wolffe, A. P. and Howard, B. H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 1956519573), we investigated whether they also influence in vivo chromatin structure. When assayed collectively using consensus sequence probes and native chromatin as template, Alu family members were found to confer rotational positioning on nucleosomes or nucleosome-like particles. In particular, a 10-base pair pattern of DNase I nicking that spanned the RNA polymerase III box A promoter motif extended upstream to cover diverse 5'-flanking sequences, suggesting that Alu repeats may influence patterns of nucleosome formation over neighboring regions. Computational analysis of a set of naturally occurring Alu sequences indicated that nucleosome positioning information is intrinsic to these elements. Inasmuch as local chromatin organization influences gene expression, the capacity of Alu sequences to affect chromatin structure as demonstrated here may help to clarify some features of these elements.
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U2 - 10.1074/jbc.270.17.10091
DO - 10.1074/jbc.270.17.10091
M3 - Article
VL - 270
SP - 10091
EP - 10096
JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry
JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry
SN - 0021-9258
IS - 17
ER -