Nucleosomes Arrangement in Chromatin

Overview

Journal Nucleic Acids Res

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 1978 Nov 1

PMID 724513

Citations 3

Authors

C Marion

B Roux

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The spatial arrangement of nucleosomes in rat liver chromatin has been examined using the electric birefringence technique. All chromatin subunits studied (up to 9 consecutive nucleosomes) contain their full complement of the five histone types associated with about 200 base pairs repeat length DNA. From the relaxation times and the orientation mechanisms, the nucleosome may be assimilated to an oblate ellipsoid of dimensions about 140 x 140 x 70 A, and the DNA superhelical axis is parallel to its shorter axis. The most important result is a sharp transition in the electro-optical properties of subunits when the number of nucleosomes in the chain is greater than 6 : the initial negative birefringence, as for DNA, becomes positive and the relaxation time is multiplied by ten. The hexanucleosome, which presents no birefringence, has an helical symmetrical structure without preferential orientation axis. This structure is approximatively spherical of about 250 A diameter and the chromatin appears as a periodic array of such a structure.

Citing Articles

Global histone protein surface accessibility in yeast indicates a uniformly loosely packed genome with canonical nucleosomes.

Marr L, Ocampo J, Clark D, Hayes J Epigenetics Chromatin. 2021; 14(1):5.

PMID: 33430969 PMC: 7802155. DOI: 10.1186/s13072-020-00381-5.

The structural organization of dinucleosomes and oligonucleosomes. Electric dichroism and birefringence study.

Houssier C, Lasters I, Muyldermans S, Wyns L Nucleic Acids Res. 1981; 9(21):5763-84.

PMID: 7312629 PMC: 327559. DOI: 10.1093/nar/9.21.5763.

1H NMR investigation of the conformational states of DNA in nucleosome core particles.

Feigon J, Kearns D Nucleic Acids Res. 1979; 6(6):2327-37.

PMID: 461191 PMC: 327853. DOI: 10.1093/nar/6.6.2327.

References

Oudet P, Chambon P . Electron microscopic and biochemical evidence that chromatin structure is a repeating unit. Cell. 1975; 4(4):281-300. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(75)90149-x. View

Shaw B, Herman T, Kovacic R, Beaudreau G, VAN Holde K . Analysis of subunit organization in chicken erythrocyte chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976; 73(2):505-9. PMC: 335938. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.73.2.505. View

Varshavsky A, Georgiev G . Studies on chromatin. V. A model for the structure of chromatin subunit. Mol Biol Rep. 1975; 2(3):255-62. DOI: 10.1007/BF00356996. View

Olins A, Olins D . Spheroid chromatin units (v bodies). Science. 1974; 183(4122):330-2. DOI: 10.1126/science.183.4122.330. View

van Bruggen E, Arnberg A, VAN Holde K, Sahasrabuddhe C, Shaw B . Electron microscopy of chromatin subunit particles. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1974; 60(4):1365-70. DOI: 10.1016/0006-291x(74)90348-9. View

Hewish D, Burgoyne L . Chromatin sub-structure. The digestion of chromatin DNA at regularly spaced sites by a nuclear deoxyribonuclease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1973; 52(2):504-10. DOI: 10.1016/0006-291x(73)90740-7. View

Rill R, VAN Holde K . Electric dichroism of chromatin. J Mol Biol. 1974; 83(4):459-71. DOI: 10.1016/0022-2836(74)90507-5. View

Rill R . The linear dichroism of oriented helical and superhelical polymers. Biopolymers. 1972; 11(9):1929-41. DOI: 10.1002/bip.1972.360110913. View

Panyim S, Chalkley R . High resolution acrylamide gel electrophoresis of histones. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1969; 130(1):337-46. DOI: 10.1016/0003-9861(69)90042-3. View

10.

OKONSKI C, ZIMM B . New method for studying electrical orientation and relaxation effects in aqueous colloids; preliminary results with tobacco mosaic virus. Science. 1950; 111(2875):113-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.111.2875.113. View

11.

Noll M, Thomas J, Kornberg R . Preparation of native chromatin and damage caused by shearing. Science. 1975; 187(4182):1203-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.187.4182.1203. View

12.

Renz M, Nehls P, Hozier J . Involvement of histone H1 in the organization of the chromosome fiber. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977; 74(5):1879-83. PMC: 431035. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.74.5.1879. View

13.

Sussman J, Trifonov E . Possibility of nonkinked packing of DNA in chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978; 75(1):103-7. PMC: 411192. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.75.1.103. View

14.

Bakke A, Wu J, Bonner J . Chromatin structure in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978; 75(2):705-9. PMC: 411325. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.75.2.705. View

15.

Houssier C, Bontemps J, Emonds-Alt X, FREDERICQ E . Electric dichroism and birefringence of DNA, chromatin, and their complexes with cationic dyes. The structure of chromatin. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1977; 303:170-89. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1977.tb55930.x. View

16.

WORCEL A, BENYAJATI C . Higher order coiling of DNA in chromatin. Cell. 1977; 12(1):83-100. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90187-8. View

17.

Gordon V, Knobler C, Olins D, Schumaker V . Conformational changes of the chromatin subunit. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978; 75(2):660-3. PMC: 411315. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.75.2.660. View

18.

Hjelm R, Kneale G, Sauau P, Baldwin J, Bradbury E, Ibel K . Small angle neutron scattering studies of chromatin subunits in solution. Cell. 1977; 10(1):139-51. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90148-9. View

19.

Pardon J, Worcester D, Wooley J, Cotter R, Lilley D, RICHARDS R . The structure of the chromatin core particle in solution. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977; 4(9):3199-214. PMC: 342644. DOI: 10.1093/nar/4.9.3199. View

20.

Suau P, Kneale G, Braddock G, Baldwin J, Bradbury E . A low resolution model for the chromatin core particle by neutron scattering. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977; 4(11):3769-86. PMC: 343199. DOI: 10.1093/nar/4.11.3769. View