The ATPase domain of Ino80 associates with and translocates on DNA at SHL + 2 rather than at SHL-6
INO80 interactions with nucleosomal and extranucleosomal DNA are probed by site-directed DNA photocrosslinking using nucleosomes with 70 and 5 bp of extranucleosomal DNA (70N5) 1,18. The side of nucleosomes with the 70 bp extranucleosomal DNA is the (-) side in reference to the dyad axis and the (+) side is on the opposite side of the nucleosomes. In 70N5 nucleosomes the (-) and (+) sides are where DNA respectively enter or exit nucleosomes when remodeled by INO80. Ino80, the catalytic subunit of the INO80 complex, is crosslinked to DNA at a new position from nt + 4 to + 18 from the dyad axis that was not previously observed and at nt -58 and − 110/-111, positions that had been previously reported16 (Fig. 1A). Peptide mapping shows the protrusion region proximal to the N-terminal lobe of the ATPase domain is crosslinked to nt + 18 (SHL + 2), a region of the N-lobe distinct from that crosslinked to nt-58 (SHL-6), thus demonstrating the ATPase domain of Ino80 is bound at both SHL + 2 and SHL-6 (Fig. 1B and Supplementary Fig. 1). Arp5 is shown to make extensive contacts with DNA spanning from the dyad axis through the (-) or entry side all the way to the linker or extranucleosomal DNA by DNA crosslinking (Fig. 1C). The DNA crosslinking of Arp5 is consistent with prior cryo-EM data showing the DNA binding domain of Arp5 binding to SHL-2/-3 and the grappler region binding where DNA enters nucleosomes, SHL-1 and the dyad depending on whether it is in the open or closed configuration6,7,19,20. Ies2 is also seen to be associated at SHL + 2 along with the ATPase domain consistent with the prior cryo-EM structure7 and near SHL-6 and − 2 positions not previously observed. It is not surprising to detect Ies2 interactions not seen in the cryo-EM structure given that the vast majority of Ies2 is not resolved in these experiments.
We model key segments of yeast Ino80 that were absent in the available structures using Alpha Fold2 and align this structure to those of INO80 and SWR1 bound to nucleosomes to find if the region of Ino80 mapped to SHL + 2 and − 6 are consistent with the ATPase domain actively translocating at SHL + 2 10,21. When comparing these models, the site crosslinked at SHL-6, spanning from amino acid 683 to 799, is consistent with both models, making it inconclusive as to which model is more likely correct (Supplemental Fig. 1B and Movie 1). However, the region of Ino80 from amino acid 915 to 1080 is only proximal to the correct site in DNA when the ATPase domain is actively engaged at SHL + 2 and not at SHL-6 (Supplemental Fig. 1B and Movie 2).
DNA footprinting shows INO80 extensively interacting with DNA similar to that observed by DNA crosslinking and highlights where the ATPase domain of Ino80 translocates on nucleosomal DNA. INO80 protects the upper strand of DNA at the SHL-1 to + 3 and SHL − 5/-6 consistent with where the ATPase domain of Ino80 binds (Fig. 1E). There is also strong protection at SHL-2/-3 where the DNA binding domain of Arp5 is known to bind and moderate protection at the dyad axis, SHL-1 and entry site of nucleosome centered at nt-74 corresponding where the grappler domain of Arp5 binds (Figs. 1E and Fig. 4B). DNA footprinting is used to track DNA translocation of INO80 after addition of g-S-ATP, a slow hydrolyzing analog of ATP, by shifting the nucleosomal protection pattern. The nucleosome protection pattern is shifted as expected by 1–2 nucleotides in the vicinity of SHL + 2 on the (+) or exit side of nucleosomes and not on the entry side at SHL-6 (Fig. 1F). These data show the ATPase domain of Ino80 actively translocates on DNA at SHL + 2 and not at SHL-6, consistent with modeling shown above of the regions of the ATPase domain that are crosslinked to both positions.
Extended DNA movement by INO80 on the exit side of nucleosomes coincides with DNA lifting off from the histone octamer on the entry side.
DNA movement during nucleosome remodeling is tracked using a photoreactive reporter attached to residue 53 of histone H2B that crosslinks and cleaves DNA 18,22. DNA initially moves 20 base pairs (bp) on the exit side of nucleosomes then rapidly advances an additional 12 bp for a total movement of 32 bp from the starting point, as evident by the 20 bp step being marginally detected and not increasing over time while DNA moving 32 bp continuously increases over a period of 5 minutes (Fig. 2A and Supplementary Fig. 2). Most DNA is moved 32 bp near steady state conditions and a smaller fraction of nucleosomes have DNA that moved 38–42 bp from the starting position (Fig. 2A). On the entry side of nucleosomes, DNA initially moves 11 bp along with a rapid shift to 20 bp from the starting position that stops accumulating after only 20 s and only a minor fraction of DNA is detected that moves farther (Fig. 2B and Supplementary Fig. 2).
For the first 20 s the amount of DNA that moves 32 bp on the exit side is equivalent to the amount of DNA that moves 20 bp on the entry side; however, after 5 minutes the amount of DNA moved 32 bp on the exit side increase 5-fold with no further increase in DNA movement detected on the entry side (Fig. 2C). These data raise the question as to what is occurring at the entry side while DNA movement proceeds at the exit side and where is the DNA coming from inside nucleosomes to be able to move 32 bp of DNA out the exit side. Over the time interval from 20 to 300 s the increase in DNA moving 32 bp on the exit side parallels the displacement of DNA from H2B on the entry (Fig. 2D). DNA displacement is only observed on the entry side and not on the exit side as previously reported1. These findings suggest moving DNA 32 bp on the exit side is coupled to DNA being displaced from the histone octamer on the entry side.
DNA preference of INO80 is determined by the DNA sequence on the entry side where H2A-H2B dimers bind
We observe a dramatic difference in the rate of nucleosome movement when changing the orientation of INO80 and the direction nucleosomes are moved. We alter the orientation of INO80 on nucleosomes by changing the length of extranucleosomal DNA flanking nucleosomes from 70N5 to 5N70 with the numbers referring to the bp length of extranucleosomal DNA on either side (Fig. 3A). With saturating INO80 and limited ATP, nucleosomes are remodeled > 10 times slower with 5N70 nucleosomes as compared to 70N5 without any significant reduction in the rate of ATP hydrolysis (Figs. 3B-C and Supplementary Fig. 3A). The uncoupling of ATP hydrolysis from nucleosome movement is reminiscent of the effects on INO80 when Arp5 is missing23–25 or otherwise unable to bind the acid pocket of the histone octamer16.
To delve deeper into this DNA sequence specificity, we switch different sections of the nucleosomal DNA by first reversing the central 72 bp DNA (referred to as M1) that binds to the H3-H4 tetramer and then separately switching the flanking 36 bp of DNA (referred to as M2) that bind to the H2A-H2B dimer (Fig. 3A). There are 3-TA dinucleotides spaced ~ 10 bp apart on the (+) side of the central 72 bp region that contribute to the asymmetric nature of the 601 nucleosome and facilitate in this DNA region being intrinsically curved and energetically favored for binding to the histone octamer surface, while the other half is more rigid 26. These nucleosome modifications were then tested in both the 70N5 and 5N70 configurations.
The outcomes of these experiments are quite revealing. Altering the flanking DNA (M2) has a more pronounced effect on INO80 nucleosome mobilization compared to changing the orientation of the core DNA (M1). Depending on the orientation of INO80 switching the flanking 36 bp DNA either stimulated or repressed nucleosome movement with 70N5 M2 nucleosomes being remodeled 16-fold less efficiently and the rate of remodeling of 5N70 M2 nucleosomes increasing at least 5-fold as estimated after remodeling for 30 minutes (Table 1, Figs. 3D and F and Supplementary Fig. 3E-F). These two independent results clearly show the DNA sequence where H2A-H2B binds on the entry side is a primary factor for the DNA sequence specificity of INO80. In contrast reversing the orientation of the central 72 bp had no significant effect on INO80 remodeling (Figs. 3D and F, Supplementary Figs. 3E-F and 4A-B, and Table 1). The difference in the rate of mobilizing nucleosomes using M2 is not caused by changes in the rate of ATP hydrolysis and reflect the same effects seen between 601 containing 70N5 and 5N70 nucleosomes (Fig. 3E and G, Supplementary Figs. 3D and 4A-B, and Table 2). Switching the flanking 36 bp DNA in 70N5 nucleosomes also did not perturb the affinity of INO80 for nucleosome as shown in gel shift assays (Supplementary Fig. 3B).
Table 1
INO80, ISW2 remodeling kinetics table
Enzyme | NCP | 5N70 Kmax | 70N5 Kmax | 5N70 K | 70N5 K |
INO80 | 601 | ND | 0.56 avg | ND | 7.4 ±1.4 pM/s |
| M1 | ND | 0.22 | ND | 2.1 ±0.96 pM/s |
| M2 | 0.057 avg | 0.025 avg | 0.71 ±0.15 pM/s | 0.34 ±0.25 pM/s |
| M2.1 | ND | 0.69 | ND | 7.8 ±1.0 pM/s |
| M2.2 | ND | 0.15 | ND | 2.7 ± 0.80 pM/s |
| M2.3 | ND | 0.52 | ND | 7 ±1.0 pM/s |
ISW2 | 601 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 19 ±4.4 pM/s | 40 ±7.2 pM/s |
| M1 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 68 ±7.6 pM/s | 22 ± 2.8 pM/s |
| M2 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 18 ±2.2 pM/s | 11 ±2.1 pM/s |
Table 2
INO80 and ISW2 ATPase kinetics table
Enzyme | NCP | 5N70 Slope | 70N5 Slope |
INO80 | 601 | 1.8± 0.13 nM/s | 21 ± 0.91 nM/s |
| M1 | 1.3 ±0.15 nM/s | 2.3 ± 0.18 nM/s |
| M2 | 1.7 ±0.13 nM/s | 14 ± 1.2 nM/s |
| M2.1 | ND | 2.5 ± 1.2 nM/s |
| M2.2 | ND | 1.9 ±0.73 nM/s |
| M2.3 | ND | 2.7 ±0.75 nM/s |
ISW2 | 601 | 4.7 ±0.28 nM/s | 2.7 ±0.27 nM/s |
| M1 | 7.4 ±0.61 nM/s | 10 ± 1.9 nM/s |
| M2 | 32 ± 1.6 nM/s | 21 ± 1.8 nM/s |
Enzyme | Vmax(µM/s) | Km(µM) | Kcat s− 1 |
INO80 | 601: 0.06 | 299.6 | 6.50 |
| M2: 0.08 | 465.9 | 8.00 |
Incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z in place of H2A does not cause any differences in INO80’s DNA sequence specificity and shows that DNA sequence specificity does not depend on the type of H2A present (Supplementary Figure S5A-C). Next, we determine if the DNA sequence specificity of INO80 is shared by other ATP-dependent remodelers that sense linker DNA length and space nucleosomes by comparing the properties of ISW2 to INO80. We noticed that while ISW2 did show some DNA sequence-dependent effects, they were generally less pronounced and opposite to what we observed with INO80 and demonstrates the uniqueness of INO80’s DNA specificity (Supplementary Fig. 6).
The interactions of the ATPase domain at SHL-6 contribute to the DNA sequence-specificity of INO80 chromatin remodeling.
We endeavor to find the minimal DNA required for conferring the DNA sequence specific effects on INO80 remodeling by making hybrids of the 36 bp DNAs that inhibit and promote INO80 remodeling into the entry side of nucleosomes (Fig. 3H). We start with the 36 bp DNA that activates INO80 remodeling and replace short segments of this region with DNA from the inhibitory 36 bp DNA. Replacing the A/T rich region at SHL-6 with the G/C rich part of the inhibitory DNA (M2.2) reduced the rate of nucleosome movement by 4-5-fold for INO80; whereas replacing 8 bp at the entry site (M2.1) or 18 bp at SHL-3/-4 (M2.3) of the 36 bp inhibitory DNA had no negative impact on remodeling (Fig. 3I, supplementary Fig. 4C and Table 1). It is expected that changing the DNA sequence and potentially DNA rigidity where the ATPase domain binds at SHL-6 could affect the propensity of INO80 to pull DNA away from the histone octamer as observed in the cryo-EM structure 6,7. The rate of ATP hydrolysis with all three mutant nucleosomes are equivalent to the original 601 nucleosomes and indicates that the reduction of remodeling observed with replacing the 10 bp DNA (M2.2) is uncoupled from ATPase activity, consistent with earlier observations (Fig. 3J and Table 2).
DNA sequence dependent changes in the interactions of Arp5 and the ATPase domain of Ino80
To explore why M2 nucleosomes are remodeled less efficiently, we used DNA footprinting and find most of INO80’s interactions with DNA are not affected by changes in DNA sequence. The ATPase domain generally remains bound in the vicinities of SHL-5/-6 and SHL + 2/+3 as seen by DNA protection; however, there are subtle changes in the DNA protection pattern indicating a perturbation of how the ATPase domain is bound at SHL-6. Changes are seen on the lower DNA strand of M2 nucleosomes with DNA lifting off from the histone octamer at nt -69 to -70, evident by increased accessibility (Fig. 4A). There is also a partial loss of the ATPase domain binding seen by a loss of protection with M2 nucleosomes on the lower strand at nt -65 to -67 and on the upper strand at nt -52 to -53 (Supplementary Fig. 7A). Binding of the ATPase domain on the exit side of M2 nucleosomes is also altered as seen by shifts in protection on both DNA strands at SHL + 3 and + 4, while retaining the same protection pattern at SHL + 2 (Fig. 4C and Supplementary Fig. 7C). The DNA binding domain of Arp5 also retains binding to SHL-3, but on both strands at SHL-2 its binding is lost in M2 nucleosomes (Fig. 4B and Supplementary Fig. 7B). There are indications from DNA footprinting that binding of the ATPase domain and the DNA binding domain of Arp 5 are altered when bound to M2 nucleosomes.
Next, we observe by DNA footprinting that DNA translocation occurs in the vicinity of SHL + 2 with M2 nucleosomes similar to 601 nucleosomes when g-S-ATP is added (compare Fig. 4D to Fig. 1F). DNA translocation however proceeded farther on M2 nucleosomes, traversing the dyad axis until reaching the SHL-2 position and may be linked to the loss of Arp5 binding at SHL-2 observed by DNA footprinting. These data point to a defect in INO80 regulating DNA translocation when remodeling M2 nucleosomes.
Additionally, we employ histone photocrosslinking to examine Arp5 interactions near the acid pocket region at residue 89 of H2A and 109 of H2B and with histone H3 at residue 80 and H4 at residue 56 (Supplementary Fig. 8A). Arp5 interactions near the acidic pocket appear not to be changed; however, its interaction with H3, close to the SHL2 position on DNA, is reduced when INO80 is bound to M2 nucleosomes (Supplementary Fig. 8). Furthermore, we find a loss of Ies6 crosslinking at residue 80 of H3 but not at residue 109 of H2B. These differences in Arp5 photocrosslinking were not observed at residues 109 of H2B or 56 of H4, confirming the site specificity of Arp5 loss. DNA footprinting and histone crosslinking indicate two changes in INO80 interactions: altered binding of both the ATPase domain and the Arp5/Ies6 module with the histone octamer and nucleosomal DNA that is tied to DNA sequence changes at the H2A-H2B interface.
DNA sequence at the H2A-H2B interface profoundly affects DNA movement on the entry side of nucleosomes.
We map DNA movement during remodeling as described earlier using DNA photocrosslinking and cleavage to discern at which stage in remodeling is DNA sequence important. The first obvious difference when remodeling M2 nucleosomes is that DNA movement on the entry and exit sides of nucleosomes are uncoupled from each other with new DNA positions only detected on the exit side (Fig. 5A and Supplementary Fig. 9A). These findings are consistent with the data described earlier showing that the ATPase domain translocates on DNA at SHL + 2 on the exit side and not at SHL-6. The most significant movement observed on the exit side is a 20 bp step that continues to accumulate up to 160 s, approximately 10 times longer and to an extent 6 times greater than 601 nucleosomes (Fig. 5B). A short step of only 9 bp is also seen, but doesn’t accumulate and seems to rapidly transition to 20 bp. There is a defect in remodeling at the exit side as DNA is unable to move farther than 20 bp in contrast to the primary step size of 32 bp observed with 601 nucleosomes (compare Fig. 5A with Fig. 2A).
The question arises as to where does the 20 bp come from to translocate out the exit side if no DNA movement is observed at the entry side of nucleosomes. We find that DNA displacement occurs on the entry side of M2 nucleosome, equivalent to that observed with 601 nucleosomes, as indicated by reduced crosslinking to DNA not coupled to DNA movement (Fig. 5C). DNA displacement is specific to the entry side and is not observed at the exit side, similar to that observed with 601 nucleosomes (Supplementary Fig. 9B-C). These data suggest DNA displacement at the entry side is not due to DNA translocation at SHL-6 given there are no DNA translocation steps detected, but rather due to translocation at SHL + 2 in contrast to earlier proposed models. Interestingly, the amounts of nucleosomes that have DNA translocating on the exit side equals approximately the same amounts of nucleosomes where DNA is displaced from the entry site, consistent with these two actions being coupled (Fig. 5D). These data show that early steps in INO80 remodeling, including DNA translocation at the exit side and DNA displacement at the entry side, are not adversely modulated by changes in DNA sequence. The step that is regulated however by DNA sequence is likely the subsequent step where more DNA needs to pass from the entry to exit side so that DNA translocation can proceed farther on the exit side (Supplementary Figure. 10).