Genome-wide maps of nucleosome positions in Saccharomyces strains bearing heterologous DNA on yeast artificial chromosomes

We identify the cis and trans determinants of nucleosome positioning using a functional evolutionary approach involving S. cerevisiae strains containing large genomic regions from other yeast species. In a foreign species, nucleosome depletion at promoters is maintained over poly(dA:dT) tracts, whereas internucleosome spacing and all other aspects of nucleosome positioning tested are not. Interestingly, the locations of the +1 nucleosome and RNA start sites shift in concert. Strikingly, in a foreign species, nucleosome-depleted regions occur fortuitously in coding regions, and they often act as promoters that are associated with a positioned nucleosome array linked to the length of the transcription unit. nucleosome mapping for 3 strains bearing yeast artificial chromosomes from Kluyveromyces lactis and 2 strains with Debaryomyces hansenii artificial chromosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae