Zinc deficiency and metabolism of histones and non-histone proteins in Euglena gracilis
Histones and most other basic chromosomal proteins are not extracted from zinc-deficient (-Zn) Euglena gracilis chromatin either by 0.25 M HCl or by 0.3-0.6 M NaCl/7 M urea. Instead, a class of 3-5-kilodalton (kDa) polypeptides, which is absent in zinc-sufficient (+Zn) cells, is solubilized. These heterogeneous polypeptides are comprised of Asn, Arg, Cys, and Gln. The partial sequence of one of these, which is composed only of Arg and Asn, is Arg-Asn-Asn-Arg-Arg-Asn-Asn-Asn-Asn-Asn-. This demonstrates they are not proteolytic fragments of the histones, proteins which do not contain contiguous Arg-Asn or Asn-Asn sequences. Once -Zn chromatin is depleted of this 3-5-kDa material, nearly all of the histones and most non-histone proteins are extracted. On the other hand, if chromatin first is depleted of, and subsequently is reconstituted with, the 3-5-kDa material, the chromosomal proteins are not solubilized, as observed with intact chromatin. Histone H4 is an exception. Electrophoretic analysis of the solubilized H4 reveals that the degree to which it is acetylated in -Zn is lower than in +Zn chromatin. Jointly, these data indicate that chromosomal proteins bind much more tightly to DNA of -Zn than +Zn cells. The histone/DNA weight ratio in -Zn chromatin is 0.44 compared to 1.04 in +Zn chromatin. However, the 3-5-kDa polypeptide fraction maintains the amount of total basic proteins per unit mass of DNA at approximately 1. Further, four non-histone proteins extractable with 5% HClO/sub 4/ or 0.35 M NaCl and characterized by high electrophoretic mobility have been purified from +Zn nuclei. Only one of these proteins is found in -Zn chromatin. Thus, zinc deficiency induces changes in the amounts and types of histones and non-histone proteins, as well as in their interaction with DNA. These findings are discussed in relation to recent advances in understanding of the role of zinc in replication and transcription.
- Research Organization:
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- OSTI ID:
- 5428125
- Journal Information:
- Biochemistry; (United States), Vol. 26:25
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HISTONES
METABOLISM
POLYPEPTIDES
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ZINC COMPOUNDS
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
CHROMATIN
DNA
ELECTROPHORESIS
EUGLENA
ALGAE
MASTIGOPHORA
MICROORGANISMS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOPROTEINS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
PLANTS
PROTEINS
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
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