Molecules, Vol. 23, Pages 2614: Reading More than Histones: The Prevalence of Nucleic Acid Binding among Reader Domains

Molecules, Vol. 23, Pages 2614: Reading More than Histones: The Prevalence of Nucleic Acid Binding among Reader Domains
Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules23102614
Authors:
Tyler M. Weaver
Emma A. Morrison
Catherine A. Musselman

The eukaryotic genome is packaged into the cell nucleus in the form of chromatin, a complex of genomic DNA and histone proteins. Chromatin structure regulation is critical for all DNA templated processes and involves, among many things, extensive post-translational modification of the histone proteins. These modifications can be “read out” by histone binding subdomains known as histone reader domains. A large number of reader domains have been identified and found to selectively recognize an array of histone post-translational modifications in order to target, retain, or regulate chromatin-modifying and remodeling complexes at their substrates. Interestingly, an increasing number of these histone reader domains are being identified as also harboring nucleic acid binding activity. In this review, we present a summary of the histone reader domains currently known to bind nucleic acids, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms of binding and the interplay between DNA and histone recognition. Additionally, we highlight the functional implications of nucleic acid binding in chromatin association and regulation. We propose that nucleic acid binding is as functionally important as histone binding, and that a significant p...

Source: Molecules - October 12, 2018 Category: Chemistry Authors: Tyler M. Weaver Emma A. Morrison Catherine A. Musselman Tags: Review Source Type: research