Competition between histone and transcription factor binding regulates the onset of transcription in zebrafish embryos
Joseph SR, Palfy M, Hilbert L, Kumar M, Karschau J, Zaburdaev V, Shevchenko A, Vastenhouw NL (2017)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2017
Journal
Publisher: ELIFE SCIENCES PUBLICATIONS LTD
Book Volume: 6
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.23326
Abstract
Upon fertilization, the genome of animal embryos remains transcriptionally inactive until the maternal-to-zygotic transition. At this time, the embryo takes control of its development and transcription begins. How the onset of zygotic transcription is regulated remains unclear. Here, we show that a dynamic competition for DNA binding between nucleosome-forming histones and transcription factors regulates zebrafish genome activation. Taking a quantitative approach, we found that the concentration of non-DNA-bound core histones sets the time for the onset of transcription. The reduction in nuclear histone concentration that coincides with genome activation does not affect nucleosome density on DNA, but allows transcription factors to compete successfully for DNA binding. In agreement with this, transcription factor binding is sensitive to histone levels and the concentration of transcription factors also affects the time of transcription. Our results demonstrate that the relative levels of histones and transcription factors regulate the onset of transcription in the embryo.
Authors with CRIS profile
Additional Organisation(s)
Involved external institutions
Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Zellbiologie und Genetik / Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG)
Germany (DE)
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme (MPI PKS) / Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems
Germany (DE)
Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD)
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme (MPI PKS) / Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems
Germany (DE)
Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD)
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Joseph, S.R., Palfy, M., Hilbert, L., Kumar, M., Karschau, J., Zaburdaev, V.,... Vastenhouw, N.L. (2017). Competition between histone and transcription factor binding regulates the onset of transcription in zebrafish embryos. eLife, 6. https://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23326
MLA:
Joseph, Shai R., et al. "Competition between histone and transcription factor binding regulates the onset of transcription in zebrafish embryos." eLife 6 (2017).
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