Docking data of selected human linker histone variants to the nucleosome

Human linker histones (H1s) are important in chromatin packaging and condensation. The central globular domain of H1 anchors the protein to the nucleosome. The nucleosomal binding modes of different H1 globular domains may affect nucleosomal DNA accessibility in distinct ways. The globular domain structures of human linker histones H1.0 (GH1.0), H1.4 (GH1.4), H1t (GH1t) and H1oo (GH1oo) were homology modelled and energy minimized. A docking algorithm [validated by re-docking GH5 from the GH5-chromatosome crystal structure (PDB: 4QLC) to the nucleosome] was used to dock the modelled domains to the same nucleosome template. In addition, GH1 (PDB: 1GHC) and a protein consisting of the N-terminal and globular domains of H1x (NGH1x) were also docked using this algorithm. Models of these docked structures are presented here in the form of PDB files. The models can be used to gain more insight with regards to the nucleosomal binding modes of H1s and their individual influence on chromatin compaction.