Prothymosin α associates with the oncoprotein SET and is involved in chromatin decondensation

Abstract
Prothymosin α (ProTα) is a histone H1-binding protein that interacts with the transcription coactivator CREB-binding protein and potentiates transcription. Based on coimmunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid assays, we show here that ProTα forms a complex with the oncoprotein SET. ProTα efficiently decondenses human sperm chromatin, while overexpression of GFP–ProTα in mammalian cells results in global chromatin decondensation. These results indicate that decondensation of compacted chromatin fibers is an important step in the mechanism of ProTα function