An acetylated form of histone H2A.Z regulates chromosome architecture in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Histone variant H2A.Z has a conserved role in genome stability, although it remains unclear how this is mediated. Here we demonstrate in fission yeast that the Swr1 ATPase inserts H2A.Z (Pht1) into chromatin and Kat5 acetyltransferase (Mst1) acetylates it. Deletion or unacetylatable mutation of Pht1 leads to genome instability, primarily caused by chromosome entanglement/breakage at anaphase. This leads to the loss of telomere-proximal markers, though telomere protection and repeat length are unaffected by the absence of Pht1. Strikingly the chromosome entanglement in pht1Δ anaphase cells can be rescued by forcing chromosome condensation prior to anaphase onset. We show that the condensin complex, required for the maintenance of anaphase chromosome condensation, prematurely dissociates from chromatin in the absence of Pht1. This and other findings suggest an important role for H2A.Z in the architecture of anaphase chromosomes.