Butyrate-induced changes in nuclease sensitivity of chromatin cannot be correlated with transcriptional activation

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.7.11.3863· OSTI ID:7196166

Birren, B W; Taplitz, S J; Herschman, H R

The authors examined in the H4IIE rat heptoma cell line the relationship between butyrate-induced changes in the nuclease sensitivity of chromatin and changes in transcriptional activity of specific genes. The butyrate-inducible metallothionein I (MT-I) gene underwent a dramatic increase in DNase I sensitivity after 3 h of butyrate treatment. However, genes not transcribed in H4IIE cells underwent the same changes in DNase I sensitivity. Thus, butyrate-induced increases in DNase I sensitivity are not sufficient for the transcriptional activation of a gene. Butyrate treatment has also been reported to alter the sensitivity of sequence to micrococcal nuclease (MNase) in a manner reflecting their tissue-specific expression. Butyrate exposure caused increased digestion of the MT-I gene by MNase. However, butyrate-induced MNase sensitivity also occurred for genes which are neither transcribed in untreated cells nor butyrate inducible. Moreover, cadmium, a potent transcriptional activator of the MT-I gene, does not alter the sensitivity of the MT-I gene to MNase. Thus, the butyrate-induced alterations in MNase sensitivity are neither sufficient for, necessary for, nor indicative of transcriptional activation.

• Research Organization: Div. of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7196166
• Journal Information: Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 7:11; ISSN MCEBD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BODY
BUTYRIC ACID
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CELL CULTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATIN
DECOMPOSITION
DISEASES
DNA-ASE
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
ESTERASES
GENES
HEPATOMAS
HYDROLASES
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
MAMMALS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALLOTHIONEIN
MICROCOCCUS
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
MUTAGENESIS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEASES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHODIESTERASES
PROTEINS
RATS
RODENTS
SENSITIVITY
SOLVOLYSIS
SPECIFICITY
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS
TISSUES
TRANSCRIPTION
TUMOR CELLS
VERTEBRATES