The nuclear poly(A)-binding protein Pab2/PABPN1 promotes heterochromatin assembly through the formation of Pab2 nuclear condensates

The assembly of constitutive heterochromatin is a prerequisite for maintaining genome stability. However, the mechanism of heterochromatin formation has yet to be completely understood. Here, we demonstrate a crucial role of the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) Pab2/PABPN1 in promoting constitutive heterochromatin formation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. Histone H3 Lys 9 di- and tri-methylation, hallmarks of heterochromatin, are significantly reduced at centromeres in the absence of Pab2. Pab2 forms nuclear condensates through its RNA-recognition motif (RRM) and the intrinsically disordered domain (IDR), both of which bind to centromeric non-coding RNAs. Intriguingly, two key heterochromatin factors, the histone H3 Lys9 methyltransferase Clr4 and the Mi2-type chromatin remodeler Mit1, associate with centromeres in a Pab2-dependent manner. Pab2 interacts with two putative RNA-binding proteins, the ZC3H3 ortholog Red5 and the RBM26·27 ortholog Rmn1, both essential for heterochromatin formation. Deletion of the Pab2 N-terminal region, which disrupts this interaction, largely abolishes Pab2 function, underscoring the importance of this complex. Pab2 also associates and colocalizes with Ppn1 (a PPP1R10 ortholog), a component of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF) complex, and ppn1 mutations disrupt constitutive heterochromatin. Notably, both Ppn1 and Rmn1 are able to interact with Clr4. Our findings reveal that Pab2 plays a pivotal role in heterochromatin assembly by forming nuclear condensates through its RRM/IDR, and Pab2 condensates facilitate the recruitment of Clr4 and Mit1 to centromeres, potentially through its binding proteins, Ppn1 and Rmn1. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying heterochromatin formation and highlights the importance of RNA-binding proteins and phase separation in this process.