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H2A.Z is a highly conserved histone variant involved in several key nuclear processes. More...

H2A.Z is a highly conserved histone variant involved in several key nuclear processes. It is incorporated into promoters by SWR-C-related chromatin remodeling complexes, but whether it is also actively excluded from non-promoter regions is not clear. Here, we provide genomic and biochemical evidence that RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) elongation-associated histone chaperones FACT and Spt6 both contribute to restricting H2A.Z from intragenic regions. In the absence of FACT or Spt6, the lack of H2A.Z eviction, coupled to its pervasive incorporation by mislocalized SWR-C, alters chromatin composition and contributes to cryptic initiation. Thus, chaperone-mediated H2A.Z removal is crucial for restricting the chromatin signature of gene promoters, which otherwise may license or promote cryptic transcription. Overall design: We profiled H2A.Z occupancy in S. cerevisiae by ChIP-chip on tiling arrays in different mutants for chromatin remodelers and histone chaperones. In most experiments, H2A.Z ChIP samples (Cy5-labeled) were performed using a polyclonal antibody against H2A.Z and hybridized against H2B ChIP samples (Cy3-labeled), also performed using a polyclonal antibody. Temperature-sensitive mutants for the histone chaperones Spt16 and Spt6 (spt16-197 and spt6-1004 respectively) showed strong H2A.Z localization defects so the role of these factors in H2A.Z localization was further analyzed. H2A.Z ChIP-chip experiments in spt16-197 and spt6-1004 were repeated using different experimental designs [normalized against Input DNA or Mock (IgG) ChIP samples]. The contribution of Spt16 and Spt6 on H2A.Z localization was also confirmed by nuclear depletion of Spt16 and Spt6 using the anchor-away system. H2A.Z ChIP-chip experiments were also performed in sic1Δ and spt16-197/sic1Δ cells in order to rule out any G1-arrest artifact. H2A.Z ChIP-chip experiments were repeated using spike-in controls for normalization, revealing widespread H2A.Z occupancy in Spt16 and Spt6 mutants. In addition, the localization of the chromatin remodeler SWR-C was determined in wild type cells as well as in spt16-197 and spt6-1004 cells. Finally, we also profiled histone H4 occupancy by ChIP-chip in wild type, spt16-197, spt6-1004, spt16-197/htz1Δ and spt6-1004/htz1Δ cells. All ChIP-chip experiments were done in duplicates. Each microarray was normalized using the Lima Loess and replicates were combined using a weighted average method as previously described (Pokholok et al., 2005). Less...