Structural highlights
FunctionH2A1_XENLA Core component of nucleosome. Nucleosomes wrap and compact DNA into chromatin, limiting DNA accessibility to the cellular machineries which require DNA as a template. Histones thereby play a central role in transcription regulation, DNA repair, DNA replication and chromosomal stability. DNA accessibility is regulated via a complex set of post-translational modifications of histones, also called histone code, and nucleosome remodeling. Publication Abstract from PubMedThe conserved yeast SWR1 and human SRCAP chromatin remodeling complexes catalyze exchange of nucleosomal histone H2A for H2A.Z, but the underlying mechanism has remained obscure. Here, we show that histone exchange by SRCAP requires the transient activator CFDP1 and resolve nine cryo-electron microscopy structures of the SRCAP-CFDP1 holoenzyme that define the stepwise exchange mechanism. CFDP1 recognizes the conformation of the fully engaged SRCAP-nucleosome complex through interactions with multiple subunits-including direct contact with the ATPase domain-and induces conformational transitions that drive extensive DNA unwrapping, eviction of the H2A-H2B dimer, and insertion of the H2A.Z-H2B dimer, all without necessarily requiring hydrolysis of bound ATP. Collectively, these findings provide unprecedented insight into the mechanism of activator- and nucleotide-driven histone exchange from nucleosomal H2A to H2A.Z. Structural mechanism of histone H2A.Z exchange by human SRCAP-CFDP1 holoenzyme.,Park G, Wu C, Louder RK Sci Adv. 2026 Jul 31;12(31):eaei7728. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aei7728. Epub 2026 Jul , 31. PMID:42536744[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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