Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Histone chaperones: 30 years from isolation to elucidation of the mechanisms of nucleosome assembly and disassembly

  • Review
  • Published:
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Some three decades have passed since the discovery of nucleosomes in 1974 and the first isolation of a histone chaperone in 1978. While various types of histone chaperones have been isolated and functionally analyzed, the elementary processes of nucleosome assembly and disassembly have been less well characterized. Recently, the tertiary structure of a hetero-trimeric complex composed of the histone chaperone CIA/ASF1 and the histone H3-H4 dimer was determined, and this complex was proposed to be an intermediate in nucleosome assembly and disassembly reactions. In addition, CIA alone was biochemically shown to dissociate the histone (H3-H4)2 tetramer into two histone H3-H4 dimers. This activity suggested that CIA regulates the semi-conservative replication of nucleosomes. Here, we provide an overview of prominent histone chaperones with the goal of elucidating the mechanisms that preserve and modify epigenetic information. We also discuss the reactions involved in nucleosome assembly and disassembly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan

    M. Eitoku, L. Sato & M. Horikoshi

  2. Biological Information Research Center (BIRC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-42 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0064, Japan

    T. Senda

Authors
  1. M. Eitoku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Sato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Senda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Horikoshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Horikoshi.

Additional information

Received 5 July 2007; received after revision 8 September 2007; accepted 13 September 2007

M. Eitoku, L. Satoa: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eitoku, M., Sato, L., Senda, T. et al. Histone chaperones: 30 years from isolation to elucidation of the mechanisms of nucleosome assembly and disassembly. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65, 414–444 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-007-7305-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-007-7305-6

Keywords.

Search

Navigation