scholarly journals Polyamine depletion is associated with altered chromatin structure in HeLa cells

1989 ◽  
Vol 260 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
R D Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Hela Cells ◽  
Chromatin Structure ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Polyamine Biosynthesis ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Nucleosomal Structure

HeLa cells depleted of polyamines by treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) or a combination of the two, were examined for sensitivity to micrococcal nuclease, DNAase I and DNAase II. The degrees of chromatin accessibility to DNAase I and II appeared enhanced somewhat in all three treatment groups, and the released digestion products differed from those in non-depleted cells. DNA released from MGBG- and DFMO/MGBG-treated cells by DNAase II digestion was enriched 4-7-fold for Mg2+-soluble species relative to controls. DNA released by micrococcal nuclease digestion from all three treatment groups was characterized as consisting of higher-order nucleosomal structure than was DNA released from untreated cells. At least some of the altered chromatin properties were abolished by a brief treatment of cells with polyamines, notably spermine. These studies provide the first demonstration in vivo of altered chromatin structure in cells treated with inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis.

scholarly journals Slaying the last unicorn - discovery of histones in the microalga Nanochlorum eucaryotum

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie WC Soo ◽  
Tobias Warnecke
Keyword(s):  
Exceptional Case ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Histone Fold ◽  
Histone Mrnas ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Eukaryotic Chromatin ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Eukaryotic Gene ◽  
Core Histones

ABSTRACTHistones are the principal constituents of eukaryotic chromatin. The four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) are conserved across sequenced eukaryotic genomes and therefore thought to be universal to eukaryotes. In the early 1980s, however, a series of biochemical investigations failed to find evidence for histones or nucleosomal structures in the microscopic green alga Nanochlorum eucaryotum. If true, derived histone loss in this lineage would constitute an exceptional case that might help us further understand the principles governing eukaryotic gene regulation. To substantiate these earlier reports of histone loss in N. eucaryotum, we sequenced, assembled and quantified its transcriptome. Following a systematic search for histone-fold domains in the assembled transcriptome, we detect orthologs to all four core histones. We also find histone mRNAs to be highly expressed, comparable to the situation in other eukaryotes. Finally, we obtain characteristic protection patterns when N. eucaryotum chromatin is subjected to micrococcal nuclease digestion, indicating widespread formation of nucleosomal complexes in vivo. We conclude that previous reports of missing histones in N. eucaryotum were mistaken. By all indications, N. eucaryotum has histone-based chromatin characteristic of most eukaryotes.

scholarly journals Mechanism of enhanced RNA synthesis in acute-phase rat liver and its relationship to chromatin structure

1984 ◽  
Vol 219 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Schiaffonati ◽  
L Bardella ◽  
G Cairo ◽  
V Giancotti ◽  
A Bernelli-Zazzera
Keyword(s):  
Acute Phase ◽  
Chromatin Structure ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Elongation Rate ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Chromosomal Proteins ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Liver Nuclei ◽  
Phase Process

Nuclei isolated from the liver of rats undergoing an acute inflammatory reaction induced by turpentine treatment show increased RNA synthesis. This increase is essentially determined by a faster polyribonucleotide-elongation rate while the number of transcribing polymerase molecules is unchanged. The sensitivity of chromatin to micrococcal-nuclease digestion and the composition of chromosomal proteins are not affected by the acute-phase process. Therefore the increased RNA synthesis by liver nuclei from acutely inflamed rats does not seem to correlate with major changes in chromatin structure.

scholarly journals Chromatinization ofEscherichia coliwith archaeal histones

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rojec ◽  
Antoine Hocher ◽  
Matthias Merkenschlager ◽  
Tobias Warnecke
Keyword(s):  
Nucleosome Occupancy ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Ancestral State ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Methanothermus Fervidus ◽  
Chromatin Proteins

ABSTRACTNucleosomes restrict DNA accessibility throughout eukaryotic genomes, with repercussions for replication, transcription, and other DNA-templated processes. How this globally restrictive organization emerged from a presumably more open ancestral state remains poorly understood. Here, to better understand the challenges associated with establishing globally restrictive chromatin, we express histones in a naïve bacterial system that has not evolved to deal with nucleosomal structures:Escherichia coli. We find that histone proteins from the archaeonMethanothermus fervidusassemble on theE. colichromosomein vivoand protect DNA from micrococcal nuclease digestion, allowing us to map binding footprints genome-wide. We provide evidence that nucleosome occupancy along theE. coligenome tracks intrinsic sequence preferences but is disturbed by ongoing transcription and replication. Notably, we show that higher nucleosome occupancy at promoters and across gene bodies is associated with lower transcript levels, consistent with local repressive effects. Surprisingly, however, this sudden enforced chromatinization has only mild repercussions for growth, suggesting that histones can become established as ubiquitous chromatin proteins without interfering critically with key DNA-templated processes. Our results have implications for the evolvability of transcriptional ground states and highlight chromatinization by archaeal histones as a potential avenue for controlling genome accessibility in synthetic prokaryotic systems.

scholarly journals Chromatinization of Escherichia coli with archaeal histones

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rojec ◽  
Antoine Hocher ◽  
Kathryn M Stevens ◽  
Matthias Merkenschlager ◽  
Tobias Warnecke
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Nucleosome Occupancy ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Methanothermus Fervidus ◽  
Chromatin Proteins

Nucleosomes restrict DNA accessibility throughout eukaryotic genomes, with repercussions for replication, transcription, and other DNA-templated processes. How this globally restrictive organization emerged during evolution remains poorly understood. Here, to better understand the challenges associated with establishing globally restrictive chromatin, we express histones in a naive system that has not evolved to deal with nucleosomal structures: Escherichia coli. We find that histone proteins from the archaeon Methanothermus fervidus assemble on the E. coli chromosome in vivo and protect DNA from micrococcal nuclease digestion, allowing us to map binding footprints genome-wide. We show that higher nucleosome occupancy at promoters is associated with lower transcript levels, consistent with local repressive effects. Surprisingly, however, this sudden enforced chromatinization has only mild repercussions for growth unless cells experience topological stress. Our results suggest that histones can become established as ubiquitous chromatin proteins without interfering critically with key DNA-templated processes.

scholarly journals Slaying the last unicorn: discovery of histones in the microalga Nanochlorum eucaryotum

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 202023
Author(s):  
Valerie W. C. Soo ◽  
Tobias Warnecke
Keyword(s):  
Exceptional Case ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Histone Fold ◽  
Histone Mrnas ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Eukaryotic Chromatin ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Eukaryotic Gene ◽  
Core Histones

Histones are the principal constituents of eukaryotic chromatin. The four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4) are conserved across sequenced eukaryotic genomes and therefore thought to be universal to eukaryotes. In the early 1980s, however, a series of biochemical investigations failed to find evidence for histones or nucleosomal structures in the microscopic green alga Nanochlorum eucaryotum . If true, derived histone loss in this lineage would constitute an exceptional case that might help us further understand the principles governing eukaryotic gene regulation. To substantiate these earlier reports of histone loss in N. eucaryotum, we sequenced, assembled and quantified its transcriptome. Following a systematic search for histone-fold domains in the assembled transcriptome, we detect orthologues to all four core histones. We also find histone mRNAs to be highly expressed, comparable to the situation in other eukaryotes. Finally, we obtain characteristic protection patterns when N. eucaryotum chromatin is subjected to micrococcal nuclease digestion, indicating widespread formation of nucleosomal complexes in vivo . We conclude that previous reports of missing histones in N. eucaryotum were mistaken. By all indications, Nanochlorum eucaryotum has histone-based chromatin characteristic of most eukaryotes.

scholarly journals Retinoid-induced chromatin structure alterations in the retinoic acid receptor beta2 promoter.

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 6481-6490 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Bhattacharyya ◽  
A Dey ◽  
S Minucci ◽  
A Zimmer ◽  
S John ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Chromatin Structure ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Restriction Site ◽  
Retinoic Acid Receptor ◽  
Micrococcal Nuclease ◽  
Acid Receptor ◽  
Nuclease Digestion ◽  
Ec Cells

Transcription of the retinoic acid receptor beta2 (RARbeta2) gene is induced by retinoic acid (RA) in mouse P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. Here we studied RA-induced chromatin structure alterations in the endogenous RARbeta2 promoter and in an integrated, multicopy RARbeta2 promoter in EC cells. RA markedly increased restriction site accessibility within the promoter, including a site near the RA responsive element (RARE) to which the nuclear receptor retinoid X receptor (RXR)-RAR heterodimer binds. These changes coincided with RA-induced alterations in the DNase I hypersensitivity pattern in and around the promoter. These changes became undetectable upon removal of RA, which coincided with the extinction of transcription. Analyses with receptor-selective ligands and an antagonist showed that increase in restriction site accessibility correlates with transcriptional activation, which parallels the RA-induced in vivo footprint of the promoter. Despite these changes, the micrococcal nuclease digestion profile of this promoter was not altered by RA. These results indicate that concurrent with the binding of the RXR-RAR heterodimer to the RARE, the local chromatin structure undergoes dynamic, reversible changes in and around the promoter without globally affecting the nucleosomal organization.

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