Isolation and Proteomics Analysis of Barley Centromeric Chromatin Using PICh

Abstract

Identification of proteins that are directly or indirectly associated with a specific DNA sequence is often an important goal in molecular biology research. Proteomics of isolated chromatin fragments (PICh) is a technique used to isolate chromatin that contains homologous DNA sequence to a specific nucleic acid probe. All proteins directly and indirectly associated with the DNA sequences that hybridize to the probe are then identified by proteomics.1 We used the PICh technique to isolate chromatin associated with the centromeres of barley (Hordeum vulgare) by using a 2'-deoxy-2'fluoro-ribonucleotides (2'-F RNA) probe that is homologous to the AGGGAG satellite DNA specific to barley centromeres. Proteins associated with the barley centromeric chromatin were then isolated and identified by mass spectrometry. Both alpha-cenH3 and beta-cenH3, the two centromeric histone H3 variants associated with barley centromeres, were positively identified. Interestingly, several different H2A and H2B variants were recovered in the PIChed chromatin. The limitations and future potential of PICh in plant chromatin research are discussed.