Mutations in both the structured domain and N-terminus of histone H2B bypass the requirement for Swi-Snf in yeast

The chromatin elements targeted by the ATPdependent, Swi-Snf nucleosome-remodeling complex are unknown. To address this question, we generated mutations in yeast histone H2B that suppress phenotypes associated with the absence of Swi-Snf. Sin- (Swi-Snf-independent) mutations occur in residues involved in H2A-H2B dimer formation, dimer- tetramer association, and in the H2B N-terminus. The strongest and most pleiotropic Sin- mutation removed 20 amino acid residues from the H2B N-terminus. This mutation allowed active chromatin to be formed at the SUC2 locus in a snf5Delta mutant and resulted in hyperactivated levels of SUC2 mRNA under inducing conditions. Thus, the H2B N-terminus may be an important target of Swi-Snf in vivo. The GCN5 gene product, the catalytic subunit of several nuclear histone acetytransferase complexes that modify histone N-termini, was also found to act in conjunction with Swi-Snf. The phenotypes of double gcn5Deltasnf5Delta mutants suggest that histone acetylation may play both positive and negative roles in the activity of the Swi-Snf-remodeling factor.