HPO — Schizosaccharomyces pombe 972h-

Summary

SPAC664.01C (symbol HPO, preferred name swi6) on chromosome 1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe encodes a chromatin adaptor with histone H3K9me2/3 reader activity, and chromatin-binding, DNA-binding, RNA-binding and identical protein-binding activities. The protein contains chromo and chromo-shadow domains characteristic of heterochromatin-associated factors. Swi6 is associated with heterochromatin organization, centromere clustering, mitotic sister chromatid cohesion and separation, meiotic telomere clustering, telomere capping, astral microtubule organization, and siRNA-mediated silencing of the mating-type cassette region. It is also linked to pigment accumulation, sex determination, cell fate determination, embryogenesis, post-transcriptional gene silencing, and memory. The protein localizes to heterochromatin islands, subtelomeric and centric heterochromatin, the mating-type region, and the nucleus. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to turgor pressure and oxidative stress response.