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Enzymatic studies of radiation damage. Progress report, 1977--1978 including the summary for the triennium, 1975--1978. [Enzyme properties of venom phosphodiesterase and molecular structure of chromatin]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6931068· OSTI ID:6931068

It was recently found that venom phosphodiesterase has properties of single-strand specific enzymes; it cleaves circular superhelical DNA and produces a full-length linear DNA (form III) plus a number of discrete bands of fragmented double-stranded DNA. The cleavages that lead to these fragments occur in pairs. Each pair accounts for the total length of the genome. Mapping of fragments showed that 4 out of 5 susceptible sites corresponded to previously established early denaturation sites. Single-strand specific enzymes were studied wich chromatin (chicken erythrocytes) as substrate. Chromatin is reluctantly digested to products of very high molecular weight ranging from 30 to 100 S with an average of about 60 S. Further digestion of these products with micrococcal nuclease leads to nucleosomes suggesting that nucleosomes remain preserved.

Research Organization:
Roswell Park Memorial Inst., Buffalo, NY (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
6931068
Report Number(s):
COO-3225-35
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English