Conserved roles of chromatin remodellers in cohesin loading onto chromatin

Curr Genet. 2020 Oct;66(5):951-956. doi: 10.1007/s00294-020-01075-x. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Abstract

Cohesin is a conserved, ring-shaped protein complex that topologically entraps DNA. This ability makes this member of the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complex family a central hub of chromosome dynamics regulation. Besides its essential role in sister chromatid cohesion, cohesin shapes the interphase chromatin domain architecture and plays important roles in transcriptional regulation and DNA repair. Cohesin is loaded onto chromosomes at centromeres, at the promoters of highly expressed genes, as well as at DNA replication forks and sites of DNA damage. However, the features that determine these binding sites are still incompletely understood. We recently described a role of the budding yeast RSC chromatin remodeler in cohesin loading onto chromosomes. RSC has a dual function, both as a physical chromatin receptor of the Scc2/Scc4 cohesin loader complex, as well as by providing a nucleosome-free template for cohesin loading. Here, we show that the role of RSC in sister chromatid cohesion is conserved in fission yeast. We discuss what is known about the broader conservation of the contribution of chromatin remodelers to cohesin loading onto chromatin.

Keywords: Chromatin remodellers; Coffin–Siris syndrome; Cohesin; Cornelia de lange syndrome; RSC; Scc2–Scc4.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Chromatids / physiology*
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism*
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly*
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism*
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / metabolism
  • Cohesins
  • DNA Helicases / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Schizosaccharomyces / genetics*
  • Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / genetics
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ISWI protein
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • DNA Helicases