Fission yeasts CENPA and H3K9me Chip-seq

Centromeres are the regions of eukaryotic chromosomes where kinetochores are assembled and direct the correct segregation of chromosomes. Active centromeres are defined by presence of nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, which alone is sufficient to direct kinetochore assembly. Once assembled at a location CENP-A chromatin and the kinetochore is maintained at that location though a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity, it is normally associated with specific sequences such as human alpha satellite arrays. Such analyses suggest that properties of centromeric DNA itself may favour assembly of CENP-A rather than H3 nucleosomes. To investigate the innate properties of centromeric DNA we have examined histone dynamics on this DNA assembled in CENP-A chromatin at endogenous centromeres and when assembled only in H3 chromatin at an ectopic location. We demonstrate that H3 occupancy on centromeric DNA is innately low while H3 turnover is high. Moreover, even at an ectopic location centromeric DNA programs H3 deposition in S phase and its eviction during G2 when CENP-A is otherwise deposited. G2 accumulation of RNAPII on centromeric DNA during G2 is consistent with transcription-coupled destabilisation of H3 nucleosomes to favour CENP-A deposition. Overall design: ChIP-seq samples were preprared for centromeric chromatin