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Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Deciphering Molecular Mechanism of Histone Assembly by DNA Curtain Technique
Published on: March 9, 2022
Chromatin association of the SMC5/6 complex is dependent on binding of its NSE3 subunit to DNA
Katerina Zabrady1, Marek Adamus2, Lucie Vondrova1
1Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, 61137, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
SMC5/6 is a highly conserved protein complex related to cohesin and condensin, which are the key components of higher-order chromatin structures. The SMC5/6 complex is essential for proliferation in yeast and is involved in replication fork stability and processing. However, the precise mechanism of action of SMC5/6 is not known. Here we present evidence that the NSE1/NSE3/NSE4 sub-complex of SMC5/6 binds to double-stranded DNA without any preference for DNA-replication/recombination intermediates. Mutations of key basic residues within the NSE1/NSE3/NSE4 DNA-binding surface reduce binding to DNA in vitro. Their introduction into the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome results in cell death or hypersensitivity to DNA damaging agents. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the hypomorphic nse3 DNA-binding mutant shows a reduced association of fission yeast SMC5/6 with chromatin. Based on our results, we propose a model for loading of the SMC5/6 complex onto the chromatin.
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