Essentiality of CENP-A Depends on Its Binding Mode to HJURP

Cell Rep. 2020 Nov 17;33(7):108388. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108388.

Abstract

CENP-A incorporation is critical for centromere specification and is mediated by the chaperone HJURP. The CENP-A-targeting domain (CATD) of CENP-A specifically binds to HJURP, and this binding is conserved. However, the binding interface of CENP-A-HJURP is yet to be understood. Here, we identify the critical residues for chicken CENP-A or HJURP. The A59Q mutation in the α1-helix of chicken CENP-A causes CENP-A mis-incorporation and subsequent cell death, whereas the corresponding mutation in human CENP-A does not. We also find that W53 of HJURP, which is a contact site of A59 in CENP-A, is also essential in chicken cells. Our comprehensive analyses reveal that the affinities of HJURP to CATD differ between chickens and humans. However, the introduction of two arginine residues to the chicken HJURP αA-helix suppresses CENP-A mis-incorporation in chicken cells expressing CENP-AA59Q. Our data explain the mechanisms and evolution of CENP-A essentiality by the CENP-A-HJURP interaction.

Keywords: CENP-A; HJURP; centromere; chromatin; chromosome; histone chaperone; histones; kinetochore; mitosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Centromere / metabolism
  • Centromere Protein A / genetics
  • Centromere Protein A / metabolism*
  • Centromere Protein A / physiology
  • Chickens / genetics
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism
  • DNA, Cruciform / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Nucleosomes

Substances

  • Centromere Protein A
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA, Cruciform
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HJURP protein, mouse
  • Histones
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Nucleosomes