Does a linker histone exist in the yeast genome?
Here, we present our results showing a connection between the linker histones, the higher-order chromatin structures, and the process of chronological lifespan of yeast cells. Characteristically, linker histone depleted chromatin generally exhibited longer chromatin loops than the wild-type. These results suggest that HHO1p may play a similar role to linker histones, but at restricted locations in the chromatin. The binding was structure specific, since the use of double-stranded DNA, or a mutant Hho1p in which the second DNA binding site of globular domain 1 was abolished, resulted in a significant decrease in bridged binding.