Detection of an altered heterochromatin structure in the absence of the nucleotide excision repair protein Rad4 in Saccharomtyces cerevisiae

作者：Zhang Ling; Chen Hua; Bi Xin; Gong Feng^*

来源：Cell Cycle, 2013, 12(15): 2435-2442.

DOI：10.4161/cc.25457

• nucleotide excision repair
• Rad4p
• SIR complex
• heterochromatin
• HML

Rad4p is a DNA damage recognition protein essential for global genomic nucleotide excision repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show that Rad4p binds to the heterochromatic HML locus. In a yeast mutant lacking Rad4p, an increased level of SIR complex binding at the HML locus is accompanied by an altered, more compact heterochromatin structure, as revealed by a topological analysis of chromatin circles released from the locus. In addition, gene silencing at the HML locus is enhanced in the rad4 mutant. Importantly, re-expression of Rad4p in the rad4 mutant restores the altered heterochromatin structure to a conformation similar to that detected in wild-type cells. These findings reveal a novel role of Rad4p in the regulation of heterochromatin structure and gene silencing.

• 出版日期2013-8-1