Nucleic Acids Research, 1980, Vol. 8, No. 1 197-214
© 1980
Articles |
DNase I sensitivity of ribosomal genes in isolated nucleosome core particles
Department of Biology, University of Rochester Rochester, NY 14627, USA
Received August 21, 1979. The level of chromatin structure at which DNase I recognizes conformational differences between inert and activated genes has been investigated. Bulk and ribosomal DNA's of Tetrahymena pyriformis were differentially labeled in vivo with [14C]- and [3H]-thymidine, respectively, utilizing a defined starvation-refeeding protocol. The 3H-labeled ribosomal genes were shown to be preferentially digested by DNase I in isolated nuclei. Staphylococcal nuclease digested the ribosomal genes more slowly than bulk DNA, probably owing to the higher GC content of rDNA. DNase I and staphylococcal nuclease digestions of purified nucleosomes and of nucleosome core particles isolated from dual-labeled, starved-refed nuclei were indistin-guishable from those of intact nuclei. We conclude from these studies that DNase I recognizes an alteration in the internal nucleosome core structure of activated ribosomal genes.