The paper, 鈥�, was designated as a 鈥淏reakthrough Article鈥� by NAR in 2020 which is an honor given to the top 1-2% of all papers.听
The听nucleosome听is the fundamental packaging unit of our genome. Proteins that control gene expression and repair of DNA damage must bind to听nucleosomes听to perform their functions. While studies of individual proteins bound to the听nucleosome听have shown that an acidic patch made of negatively charged atoms on the听nucleosome听may be a common site for protein binding, the pervasiveness of this acidic patch binding and whether听other听nucleosome听binding听hot-spots听exist remained unclear. This study describes an elegant proteomics screen that establishes the universal principles of听nucleosome听recognition.听The authors prepared a library of nucleosomes,听each containing a cluster of mutations within a different patch on the听nucleosome听disk surface. Quantitative mass spectrometry was then used to compare the abundance of proteins that interact with each of the听nucleosomes听in the library. By analyzing how each cluster of mutations influenced听nucleosome听binding proteome-wide,听the authors paired hundreds听of听nucleosome听binding proteins with the specific听nucleosome听surface requirements.听The听nucleosome听acidic patch,听was critical for听the majority of听nucleosome听binding proteins, often in concert with two adjacent, newly identified hot-spots. This comprehensive听nucleosome听interactome听screen uncovers the general rules governing recognition of the fundamental unit of the genome.听
Aleksandra听Skrajna听PhD听is an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow in the鈥�.听
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