Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Nucleic Acids Research logoLink to Nucleic Acids Research
. 1978 Nov;5(11):4431–4449. doi: 10.1093/nar/5.11.4431

Nucleosomes arrangement in chromatin

C Marion 1, B Roux 1
PMCID: PMC342760  PMID: 724513

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 × 140 × 70 Å 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 Å diameter and the chromatin appears as a periodic array of such a structure.

Full text

PDF
4431

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Augenlicht L. H., Lipkin M. Chromatin monomer: absence of non-histone proteins. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1976 May 17;70(2):540–544. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(76)91080-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Axel R. The structure of specific genes in chromatin. Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 1976;19:355–371. doi: 10.1016/s0079-6603(08)60931-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bakke A. C., Wu J. R., Bonner J. Chromatin structure in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Feb;75(2):705–709. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.2.705. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carpenter B. G., Baldwin J. P., Bradbury E. M., Ibel K. Organisation of subunits in chromatin. Nucleic Acids Res. 1976 Jul;3(7):1739–1746. doi: 10.1093/nar/3.7.1739. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Finch J. T., Lutter L. C., Rhodes D., Brown R. S., Rushton B., Levitt M., Klug A. Structure of nucleosome core particles of chromatin. Nature. 1977 Sep 1;269(5623):29–36. doi: 10.1038/269029a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Finch J. T., Noll M., Kornberg R. D. Electron microscopy of defined lengths of chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Sep;72(9):3320–3322. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.9.3320. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gaubatz J. W., Chalkley R. Distribution of H1 histone in chromatin digested by micrococcal nuclease. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977 Oct;4(10):3281–3301. doi: 10.1093/nar/4.10.3281. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gordon V. C., Knobler C. M., Olins D. E., Schumaker V. N. Conformational changes of the chromatin subunit. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Feb;75(2):660–663. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.2.660. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hewish D. R., Burgoyne L. A. Chromatin sub-structure. The digestion of chromatin DNA at regularly spaced sites by a nuclear deoxyribonuclease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1973 May 15;52(2):504–510. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(73)90740-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hjelm R. P., Kneale G. G., Sauau P., Baldwin J. P., Bradbury E. M., Ibel K. Small angle neutron scattering studies of chromatin subunits in solution. Cell. 1977 Jan;10(1):139–151. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90148-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. 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 Dec 30;303:170–189. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1977.tb55930.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Klevan L., Crothers D. M. Isolation and characterization of a spacerless dinucleosome from H1-deleted chromatin. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977 Dec;4(12):4077–4089. doi: 10.1093/nar/4.12.4077. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Langmore J. P., Wooley J. C. Chromatin architecture: investigation of a subunit of chromatin by dark field electron microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Jul;72(7):2691–2695. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.7.2691. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lawrence J. J., Chan D. C., Piette L. H. Conformational state of DNA in chromatin subunits. Circular dichroism, melting, and ethidium bromide binding analysis. Nucleic Acids Res. 1976 Nov;3(11):2879–2893. doi: 10.1093/nar/3.11.2879. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Noll M., Kornberg R. D. Action of micrococcal nuclease on chromatin and the location of histone H1. J Mol Biol. 1977 Jan 25;109(3):393–404. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(77)80019-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Noll M., Thomas J. O., Kornberg R. D. Preparation of native chromatin and damage caused by shearing. Science. 1975 Mar 28;187(4182):1203–1206. doi: 10.1126/science.187.4182.1203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. O'KONSKI C. T., ZIMM B. H. New method for studying electrical orientation and relaxation effects in aqueous colloids; preliminary results with tobacco mosaic virus. Science. 1950 Feb;111(2875):113–116. doi: 10.1126/science.111.2875.113. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Olins A. L., Olins D. E. Spheroid chromatin units (v bodies). Science. 1974 Jan 25;183(4122):330–332. doi: 10.1126/science.183.4122.330. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Oudet P., Gross-Bellard M., Chambon P. Electron microscopic and biochemical evidence that chromatin structure is a repeating unit. Cell. 1975 Apr;4(4):281–300. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(75)90149-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Panyim S., Chalkley R. High resolution acrylamide gel electrophoresis of histones. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1969 Mar;130(1):337–346. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(69)90042-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pardon J. F., Worcester D. L., Wooley J. C., Cotter R. I., Lilley D. M., Richards R. M. The structure of the chromatin core particle in solution. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977 Sep;4(9):3199–3214. doi: 10.1093/nar/4.9.3199. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. 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 May;74(5):1879–1883. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.5.1879. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Rill R. L. The linear dichroism of oriented helical and superhelical polymers. Biopolymers. 1972;11(9):1929–1941. doi: 10.1002/bip.1972.360110913. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rill R., Van Holde K. E. Electric dichroism of chromatin. J Mol Biol. 1974 Mar 15;83(4):459–471. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(74)90507-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Shaw B. R., Herman T. M., Kovacic R. T., Beaudreau G. S., Van Holde K. E. Analysis of subunit organization in chicken erythrocyte chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Feb;73(2):505–509. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.2.505. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Small E. W., Isenberg I. Hydrodynamic properties of a rigid molecule: rotational and linear diffusion and fluorescence anisotropy. Biopolymers. 1977 Sep;16(9):1907–1928. doi: 10.1002/bip.1977.360160907. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Suau P., Kneale G. G., Braddock G. W., Baldwin J. P., Bradbury E. M. A low resolution model for the chromatin core particle by neutron scattering. Nucleic Acids Res. 1977 Nov;4(11):3769–3786. doi: 10.1093/nar/4.11.3769. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Sussman J. L., Trifonov E. N. Possibility of nonkinked packing of DNA in chromatin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Jan;75(1):103–107. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.1.103. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Trifonov E. The helical model of the nucleosome core. Nucleic Acids Res. 1978 Apr;5(4):1371–1380. doi: 10.1093/nar/5.4.1371. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Varshavsky A. J., Georgiev G. P. Studies on chromatin. V. A model for the structure of chromatin subunit. Mol Biol Rep. 1975 Oct;2(3):255–262. doi: 10.1007/BF00356996. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Weischet W. O., Tatchell K., Van Holde K. E., Klump H. Thermal denaturation of nucleosomal core particles. Nucleic Acids Res. 1978 Jan;5(1):139–160. doi: 10.1093/nar/5.1.139. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Whitlock J. P., Jr, Simpson R. T. Preparation and physical characterization of a homogeneous population of monomeric nucleosomes from HeLa cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 1976 Sep;3(9):2255–2266. doi: 10.1093/nar/3.9.2255. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Woodcock C. L., Frado L. L. Thermal denaturation of subchromosomal particles. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1975 Sep 2;66(1):403–410. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(75)80342-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Woodcock C. L., Safer J. P., Stanchfield J. E. Structural repeating units in chromatin. I. Evidence for their general occurrence. Exp Cell Res. 1976 Jan;97:101–110. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(76)90659-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Worcel A., Benyajati C. Higher order coiling of DNA in chromatin. Cell. 1977 Sep;12(1):83–100. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90187-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. de Murcia G., Das G. C., Erard M., Daune M. Superstructure and CD spectrum as probes of chromatin integrity. Nucleic Acids Res. 1978 Feb;5(2):523–535. doi: 10.1093/nar/5.2.523. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. van Bruggen E. F., Arnberg A. C., van Holde K. E., Sahasrabuddhe C. G., Shaw B. R. Electron microscopy of chromatin subunit particles. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1974 Oct 23;60(4):1365–1370. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(74)90348-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Nucleic Acids Research are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES