Phosphate content of goose erythrocyte histones

Although chromatographic profiles and amino acid compositions of erythrocyte histones from normal and regenerating goose blood did not differ, characteristic fractions from regenerating blood contained more alkali-labile phosphate than did their counterparts from normal blood. Furthermore, the phosphate content of the erythrocyte-specific component was appreciably greater than that of any other histone.The problem of distinguishing between contamination and valid histone phosphate is considered; complex formation between nuclear phosphoprotein and specific histone fractions could not be unequivocally eliminated. The pronounced phosphate levels in the erythrocyte-specific histone V are discussed in relation to the prospective roles of histone phosphorylation.