THE SEPARATION OF CALF THYMUS NUCLEIC ACID AND HISTONE BY ALCOHOL–SALT PRECIPITATION
Extraction of the histone of thymonucleoprotein with alcohol and salt has been studied with varying concentrations of alcohol, sodium chloride, and nucleoprotein and with varying pH and temperature. The addition of 0.5–1.0 volumes of ethanol to a solution of nucleoprotein (approximately 1 mgm. N/ml.) in 3 M sodium chloride has been found to effect an almost quantitative separation of desoxyribonucleic acid and protein. It has proved feasible to prepare concentrated aqueous solutions of the extracted protein by successive dialysis against strong salt solutions at −10 °C. and against distilled water at 5 °C. followed by pervaporation at 5 °C. The properties of the isolated nucleate have indicated a highly polymerized product.