Histone acetylation and heterochromatin content of cultured Peromyscus cells

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Exp. Cell Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(81)90096-3· OSTI ID:5467446

Halleck, M S; Carley, L R

In order to explore the relationship between unacetylated arginine-rich histones and condensed chromatin structure, the extent of histone acetylation was examined in cultured cell lines derived from three species of deer mice. These species differ considerably in their genomic content of heterochromatin but contain essentially the same euchromatin content. Cells of Peromyscus eremicus, containing 34-36% more constitutive heterochromatin than Peromyscus boylii or Peromyscus crinitus cells were found to contain 28-35% more unacetylated histone H4, 22-29% more unacetylated histone H3, and 18-22% more unacetylated histone H2B. This relationship between unacetylated histone and heterochromatin content was further explored by inducing hyperacetylation of P. eremicus and P. boylli histones through treatment of cells with 15 mM sodium butyrate for 24 h. It was found that the percentages of unacetylated histones H3 and H4 remaining after butyrate treatment were proportional to the amount of constitutive heterochromatin in the genome. These data support the concept that a small core of histones in constitutive heterochromatin is inaccessible to acetylation. It was also found that the acetylated state of isolated histones was senstitive to the method of histone extraction. Thus concern must be given to preparative procedures when studying histone acetylation in order to minimize these acetate losses.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM
• OSTI ID: 5467446
• Journal Information: Exp. Cell Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Exp. Cell Res.; (United States) Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 132; ISSN ECREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
550400 -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETYLATION
ACYLATION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BUTYRIC ACID
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CELL CULTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMATIN
ELECTROPHORESIS
EXTRACTION
HETEROCHROMATIN
HISTONES
MAMMALS
MICE
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
VERTEBRATES