Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40874595›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

H2B.W2, a spermatocyte-specific histone variant, disrupts nucleosome stability, and reduces chromatin compaction.

April T T Nguyen, Dongbo Ding, Xingpeng Bai, Matthew Y H Pang, Mingxi Deng, Yue Liu, Tingyu Jin, Zhichun Xu, Yingyi Zhang, Yuanliang Zhai and 2 more

Erratum issuedAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

April T T NguyenDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5584-1013
Dongbo DingDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3515-8679
Xingpeng BaiDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Matthew Y H PangDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3758-6140
Mingxi DengDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Yue LiuDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Tingyu JinDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Zhichun XuSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, HKSAR, China.
Yingyi ZhangBiological Cryo-EM Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Yuanliang ZhaiDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8897-6416
Yan YanDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.
Toyotaka IshibashiDivision of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, NT, HKSAR, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8015-2319

Funding

Hong Kong Innovation & Technology Commission Innovation and Technology Fund MHP/033/20National Natural Science Foundation of China 32170548Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR 16104324Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR 16104725Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR C6036-21GFResearch Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR C7035-23GResearch Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR T13-602/21NShenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission JCYJ20200109140201722
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spermatogenesis is a highly regulated process that requires precise chromatin remodeling, which includes the incorporation of testis-specific histone variants. While several of these variants have been characterized, the role of H2B.W2, a member of the H2BW family, remains largely unclear. Here, we showed that H2B.W2 expression occurs mainly in spermatocytes, slightly later than its paralog H2B.W1. Cryo-electron microscopy analysis of H2B.W2-containing nucleosomes reveals a more relaxed conformation compared to canonical nucleosomes caused by weakened interactions between the outer DNA turn and the histone core. We pinpointed the N-terminal tail and α2 helix of H2B.W2 as critical regions for nucleosome destabilization. Furthermore, we identify G73 within the L1 loop as a key residue involved in disrupting higher-order chromatin structure. Our findings suggest that H2B.W2-mediated nucleosome and chromatin destabilization may play a role in regulating gene expression during spermatogenesis, with potential implications for sperm development and function.

Indexed as

ChromatinHistonesNucleosomesSpermatocytesAnimalsChromatin Assembly and DisassemblyCryoelectron MicroscopyMaleMiceSpermatogenesisTestisChromatinHistonesNucleosomes

Identifiers

PMID40874595
PMCPMC12392092

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.