Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
11:06
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) of Histone Modifications from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Published on: December 29, 2017
Distinct differences in chromatin structure at subtelomeric X and Y' elements in budding yeast
Xuefeng Zhu1, Claes M Gustafsson
1Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. xuefeng.zhu@medkem.gu.se
Plos One
|July 24, 2009
Summary
Subtelomeric X and Y' elements in yeast telomeres have distinct chromatin structures. Y' elements are active and nucleosome-rich, while X elements are repressed and nucleosome-poor, influencing telomere transcription.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Telomeres protect chromosome ends in eukaryotes.
- In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, telomeres contain TG(1-3) repeats and variable subtelomeric X and Y' elements.
- The distinct roles of subtelomeric elements in chromatin regulation are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distinct structural and functional properties of subtelomeric X and Y' elements in yeast.
- To determine how these elements influence chromatin structure and transcription at telomeres.
Main Methods:
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays.
- Genome-wide analyses of chromatin organization.
- Assessment of transcriptional activity and heterochromatin marks.
Main Results:
- Subtelomeric Y' elements are transcriptionally active and nucleosome-enriched.
- Subtelomeric X elements are transcriptionally repressed and nucleosome-depleted.
- Y' elements lack canonical heterochromatin markers like high Sir3/Rap1 occupancy and low H4K16 acetylation, unlike X elements.
Conclusions:
- Subtelomeric X and Y' elements exhibit distinct chromatin structures and functional properties.
- These elements play a crucial role in governing chromatin organization and transcriptional activity at individual chromosome ends.
Related Concept Videos
03:17Inheritance of Chromatin Structures
Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...
02:30Histone Variants at the Centromere
Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...
02:38Heterochromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...
01:01Euchromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
02:40Chromosome Structure
A functional eukaryotic chromosome must contain three elements: a centromere, telomeres, and numerous origins of replication.
The centromere is a DNA sequence that links sister chromatids. This is also where kinetochores, protein complexes to which spindle microtubules attach, are constructed after the chromosome is replicated. The kinetochores allow the spindle microtubules to move the chromosomes within the cell during cell division.
Telomeres consist of non-coding repetitive nucleotide...
The centromere is a DNA sequence that links sister chromatids. This is also where kinetochores, protein complexes to which spindle microtubules attach, are constructed after the chromosome is replicated. The kinetochores allow the spindle microtubules to move the chromosomes within the cell during cell division.
Telomeres consist of non-coding repetitive nucleotide...
02:04Polytene Chromosomes
Polytene chromosomes are giant interphase chromosomes with several DNA strands placed side by side. They were discovered in the year 1881 by Balbiani in salivary glands, intestine, muscles, malpighian tubules, and hypoderm of larvae Chironomus plumosus. Hence, these are also called "Salivary gland chromosomes." These are found in insects of the order Diptera and Collembola; in certain organs of mammals; and synergids, antipodes of flowering plants. Polytene chromosomes are also regularly...