Key result
PADs 1, 2, and 4 citrullinate all directly observable histone tail arginines, whereas PAD3 only moderately citrullinates H2A and H4 and does not modify H3 tail arginines.
Why the study?
A comprehensive investigation of all histone tail arginines targeted by catalytically active PADs 1-4 was lacking.
PAD enzymes exhibit differential specificity for histone arginine citrullination, which is altered within nucleosomes compared to isolated peptides.
Hypothesis-generating for PAD histone targets in disease; leaves open cardiovascular epigenetics roles pending validation.
Citrullination is a charge-modifying post-translational modification whereby proteinogenic arginine is converted to the non-coded amino acid citrulline by calcium-activated protein arginine deiminases (PADs; EC 3.5.3.15). The five known PAD enzymes in humans (PADs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6) are differentially expressed and have distinct targets, including histones. While some PAD histone citrullination sites are known, a comprehensive investigation of all histone tail arginines targeted by catalytically active PADs 1-4 is lacking. Here, we sought to identify PAD citrullination sites in histone tails, both within histone peptides and in reconstituted nucleosomes. Toward this objective, we utilized a real-time 1 H- 15 N NMR spectroscopy-based assay. By monitoring both arginine and citrulline backbone amide peak intensities over time, we identified sites of citrullination in 15 N-labeled histone tails within peptides and reconstituted nucleosome core particles. We found that PADs 1, 2, and 4 citrullinate all directly observable histone tail arginines to varying degrees. This is distinct from PAD3, which only moderately citrullinates H2A and H4 arginine residues and does not modify H3 tail arginines. Together, these data suggest a level of histone arginine specificity by each PAD. Furthermore, histone tail citrullination is altered within nucleosomes compared to isolated peptides, which we interpret to reflect changes in conformation and accessibility. We speculate that citrullination increases nucleosomal histone tail dynamics, with implications for crosstalk between sites of histone citrullination and other important sites of regulation by PTMs (including lysines) within and between tails.
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Kowalczyk et al. (2026) studied this question. PAD enzymes (PADs 1-4) was evaluated on Histone tail citrullination sites. PADs 1, 2, and 4 citrullinate all directly observable histone tail arginines, whereas PAD3 only moderately citrullinates H2A and H4 and does not modify H3 tail arginines.
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