Hbo1 is a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that is required for global histone H4 acetylation, steroiddependent transcription, and chromatin loading of MCM2-7 during DNA replication licensing. It is the catalytic subunit of protein complexes that include ING and JADE proteins, growth regulatory factors and candidate tumor suppressors. These complexes are thought to act via tumor suppressor p53, but the molecular mechanisms and links between stress signaling and chromatin, are currently unknown. Here, we show that p53 physically interacts with Hbo1 and negatively regulates its HAT activity in vitro and in cells. Two physiological stresses that stabilize p53, hyperosmotic shock and DNA replication fork arrest, also inhibit Hbo1 HAT activity in a p53-dependent manner. Hyperosmotic stress during G 1 phase specifically inhibits the loading of the MCM2-7 complex, providing an example of the chromatin output of this pathway. These results reveal a direct regulatory connection between p53-responsive stress signaling and Hbo1-dependent chromatin pathways.The dynamic regulation of chromatin structure and function is essential for normal cell proliferation and differentiation. This regulation is mediated by several overlapping pathways, including the posttranslational enzymatic modification of histones, the alteration of nucleosome structure by DNA-dependent ATPase complexes, and changes in the histone variant composition of chromatin (4,34,58). Alterations in histone modification enzymes, particularly histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzymes, have been linked to human cancer (23, 73). Viral oncoproteins, such as adenovirus E1A or simian virus 40 large T antigen, target a number of these enzymes, including p300, CBP, and PCAF. Furthermore, in addition to modifying histones, these HATs can also directly acetylate and activate tumor suppressors and key growth control transcription factors such as p53, Rb, and E2F (24). The MYST family of histone acetyltransferases, named for the four founding proteins in the family (67), can also contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The MYST proteins are part of large multisubunit HAT complexes conserved from yeast to humans, and they have diverse roles in gene expression, DNA replication, and DNA repair (72). The human MOZ gene, encoding one of the human MYST enzymes, was first identified as a translocation fusion with CBP in acute myeloid leukemias (9). Subsequently, a number of other translocation fusions involving the MYST HATs MOZ and MORF and partners including CBP, p300, MLL, and TIF2 have been identified. It is thought that the mislocalization or misregulation of the HAT activities of these fusions contributes to tumor formation or progression (72).Hbo1 is a member of the MYST family of HAT enzymes and is conserved from flies to humans. It has essential roles in DNA replication and transcription (1,12,22,32,55,59) and is the catalytic subunit of at least two protein complexes comprised of JADE1/JADE2/JADE3 paralogs, hEaf6, and either ING4 or ING5, two members of the "inh...