[ PDB file ] [ PubMed link ]
The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex is essential for the normal regulation of gene expression in a wide range of organisms (even plants!). We are slowly trying to build up a picture of how NuRD works at a mechanistic level. One of the NuRD components, CHD4, contains two PHD-type zinc-finger domains. In collaboration with Tanya Kutateladze from the University of Colorado at Denver, we have shown that one of these two PHD domains can recognize the N-terminal tail of histone H3 when specifically modified by trimethylation of K9 (a repressive mark). We have determined the structure of the PHD:H3 tail complex, showing how the methylated K9 is recognized (on the right of the pic).