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H2BC21 acetyl K20

Function

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.

Has broad antibacterial activity. May contribute to the formation of the functional antimicrobial barrier of the colonic epithelium, and to the bactericidal activity of amniotic fluid.

Post-translational modifications

Monoubiquitination at Lys-35 (H2BK34Ub) by the MSL1/MSL2 dimer is required for histone H3 'Lys-4' (H3K4me) and 'Lys-79' (H3K79me) methylation and transcription activation at specific gene loci, such as HOXA9 and MEIS1 loci. Similarly, monoubiquitination at Lys-121 (H2BK120Ub) by the RNF20/40 complex gives a specific tag for epigenetic transcriptional activation and is also prerequisite for histone H3 'Lys-4' and 'Lys-79' methylation. It also functions cooperatively with the FACT dimer to stimulate elongation by RNA polymerase II. H2BK120Ub also acts as a regulator of mRNA splicing: deubiquitination by USP49 is required for efficient cotranscriptional splicing of a large set of exons.

Phosphorylation at Ser-37 (H2BS36ph) by AMPK in response to stress promotes transcription (By similarity). Phosphorylated on Ser-15 (H2BS14ph) by STK4/MST1 during apoptosis; which facilitates apoptotic chromatin condensation. Also phosphorylated on Ser-15 in response to DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), and in correlation with somatic hypermutation and immunoglobulin class-switch recombination.

GlcNAcylation at Ser-113 promotes monoubiquitination of Lys-121. It fluctuates in response to extracellular glucose, and associates with transcribed genes (By similarity).

Crotonylation (Kcr) is specifically present in male germ cells and marks testis-specific genes in post-meiotic cells, including X-linked genes that escape sex chromosome inactivation in haploid cells. Crotonylation marks active promoters and enhancers and confers resistance to transcriptional repressors. It is also associated with post-meiotically activated genes on autosomes.

Lactylated in macrophages by EP300/P300 by using lactoyl-CoA directly derived from endogenous or exogenous lactate, leading to stimulates gene transcription.

Sequence similarities

Belongs to the histone H2B family.

Cellular localization

  • Nucleus
  • Chromosome

Alternative names

  • Histone H2B type 2-E
  • H2B-clustered histone 21
  • Histone H2B-GL105
  • Histone H2B.q
  • H2B/q
  • HIST2H2BE
  • H2BFQ
  • H2BC21
  • H2BK20ac

Target type

Proteins

Primary research area

Epigenetics

Molecular weight

13920Da