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. 1973 Mar;70(3):804–807. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.3.804

Chromosome Structure as Revealed by a Combined Chemical and Immunochemical Procedure

R R Schreck *, D Warburton *, O J Miller *,†, S M Beiser ‡, B F Erlanger ‡
PMCID: PMC433363  PMID: 4123691

Abstract

Human metaphase chromosomes were photooxidized in the presence of methylene blue, a process that destroys guanine residues in DNA. Indirect immunofluorescence showed that such chromosomes reacted with a cytosine-specific antibody revealing a consistent fluorescent banding pattern by which each chromosome could be identified. The observed fluorescent patterns were the reverse of those produced in formamide-denatured chromosomes treated with an antibody specific for adenine and of the patterns obtained with quinacrine and with Giemsa staining by the G-banding techniques. The patterns were identical to Giemsa R-banding patterns. The chromosome banding patterns, therefore, appeared to reflect DNA base composition, indicating the feasibility of a combined chemical-immunochemical investigation of the chemical organization of chromosomes.

Keywords: photooxidation, cytosine-specific antibodies, chromosome banding, immunofluorescence

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Selected References

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

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