Previously Unidentified Histone H1-Like Protein Is Involved in Cell Division and Ribosome Biosynthesis in Toxoplasma gondii
Vanessa Rossini Severo, Rodolpho Ornitz Oliveira Souza, Francisca N. de Luna Vitorino, Júlia Pinheiro Chagas da Cunha, Andréa Rodrigues Ávila, Gustavo Arrizabalaga, Sheila Cristina Nardelli
Abstract
Histone H1, or linker histone, is an important protein that binds to the nucleosome, aiding chromatin compaction. Here, we characterize for the first time a linker histone in T. gondii, named TgH1-like. It is a small and basic protein that corresponds only to the C-terminal portion of the human H1 but is similar to histone H1 from trypanosomatids and bacteria. TgH1-like is located in the nucleus, interacts with nucleosome histones, and acts in chromatin structure and cell division. Our findings show for the first time the presence of a histone H1 protein in an apicomplexan parasite and will provide new insights into cell division and chromatin dynamics in T. gondii and related parasites.