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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay for the Identification of Arabidopsis Protein-DNA Interactions In Vivo
Published on: January 14, 2016
AtMCM10 promotes DNA replication-coupled nucleosome assembly in Arabidopsis
Xinjie Zhao1, Jingyi Wang2, Dan Jin1
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Abstract:
Minichromosome Maintenance protein 10 (MCM10) is essential for DNA replication initiation and DNA elongation in yeasts and animals. Although the functions of MCM10 in DNA replication and repair have been well documented, the detailed mechanisms for MCM10 in these processes are not well known. Here, we identified AtMCM10 gene through a forward genetic screening for releasing a silenced marker gene. Although plant MCM10 possesses a similar crystal structure as animal MCM10, AtMCM10 is not essential for plant growth or development in Arabidopsis. AtMCM10 can directly bind to histone H3-H4 and promotes nucleosome assembly in vitro. The nucleosome density is decreased in Atmcm10, and most of the nucleosome density decreased regions in Atmcm10 are also regulated by newly synthesized histone chaperone Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 (CAF-1). Loss of both AtMCM10 and CAF-1 is embryo lethal, indicating that AtMCM10 and CAF-1 are indispensable for replication-coupled nucleosome assembly. AtMCM10 interacts with both new and parental histones. Atmcm10 mutants have lower H3.1 abundance and reduced H3K27me1/3 levels with releasing some silenced transposons. We propose that AtMCM10 deposits new and parental histones during nucleosome assembly, maintaining proper epigenetic modifications and genome stability during DNA replication.
Insights
Minichromosome Maintenance protein 10 (MCM10) in Arabidopsis (AtMCM10) binds histones and promotes nucleosome assembly. Loss of AtMCM10 and CAF-1 causes embryo lethality, highlighting their essential roles in DNA replication.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
- Plant Science
Background:
- Minichromosome Maintenance protein 10 (MCM10) is crucial for DNA replication in yeasts and animals.
- Detailed mechanisms of MCM10 in DNA replication and repair are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify and characterize the function of the Arabidopsis MCM10 gene (AtMCM10).
- Investigate the role of AtMCM10 in DNA replication, nucleosome assembly, and epigenetic regulation.
Main Methods:
- Forward genetic screening to identify AtMCM10.
- In vitro binding assays with histone H3-H4.
- Analysis of nucleosome density in wild-type and Atmcm10 mutant plants.
- Investigating interactions with Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 (CAF-1).
- Assessing histone abundance and epigenetic modifications (H3K27me1/3) in Atmcm10 mutants.
Main Results:
- AtMCM10 is not essential for Arabidopsis growth but binds histone H3-H4 and promotes nucleosome assembly in vitro.
- Atmcm10 mutants exhibit decreased nucleosome density, partially overlapping with regions regulated by CAF-1.
- Loss of both AtMCM10 and CAF-1 is embryo lethal, confirming their joint essentiality for replication-coupled nucleosome assembly.
- Atmcm10 mutants show reduced H3.1 abundance and H3K27me1/3 levels, leading to the release of some silenced transposons.
Conclusions:
- AtMCM10 plays a vital role in depositing new and parental histones during replication-coupled nucleosome assembly.
- AtMCM10 is crucial for maintaining epigenetic modifications and genome stability during DNA replication in Arabidopsis.
- AtMCM10 and CAF-1 function together, highlighting a conserved mechanism for nucleosome assembly during DNA replication.
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