Nanoarchaeal origin of histone H3?

J Bacteriol. 2009 Feb;191(3):1092-6. doi: 10.1128/JB.01431-08. Epub 2008 Dec 1.

Abstract

NEQ288, one of two archaeal histones in Nanoarchaeum equitans, has a unique four-residue insertion that closely resembles an insertion in the eukaryotic histone H3 lineage. NEQ288 bound DNA but did not compact DNA in vitro in the absence of NEQ348, the second N. equitans archaeal histone. The properties of NEQ288 suggest an intermediate between the archaeal and H3 histone lineages and an evolutionary step toward the now-mandatory assembly of eukaryotic histones into heterodimers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Archaeal Proteins / chemistry
  • Archaeal Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA, Archaeal / genetics
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Archaeal
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Histones / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nanoarchaeota / genetics*
  • Nanoarchaeota / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Archaeal Proteins
  • DNA, Archaeal
  • Histones