Dynamic equilibrium in histone assembly: self-assembly of single histones and histone pairs

The assembly of acid-extracted, purified F2a1, F3, F2a2, and F2b histones and their six possible pairwise combination into organized structures has been studied by: (1) sedimentation velocity, (2) sedimentation equilibrium, (3) electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate after cross-linking the protein solution with dimethyl suberimidate, and (4) electron microscopy. Each of the purified histone fractions can renature and assemble into high molecular weight organized structures. This assembly is dependent on the ionic strength, protein concentration, and temperature of the solutions. The four histones studied assemble into structures of similar dimensions and shape. In each case the first structure observed is a bent rod with a diameter of 22 A. Conditions which favor assembly lead to formation of fibers with diameters of about 44 A. The conditions which lead to assembly into organized structures are similar for the arginine-rich histones, F2a1 and F3. Higher ionic strength is required for the assembly of the lysine-rich histones, F2a2 and F2b. Certain pairs of histones interact. Strong interactions among pairs of histones interfere with the self-assembly of single histones into large structures. Howver, increase in protein concentration or ionic stregth leads to formation of large molecular structures even in solutions of pairs of strongly interacting histones. These structures are similar to those obtained with single histones. The results suggest that aggregation and complexing of histones represent a reversible, ordered process of assembly. The various assembled forms are in a dynamic equilibrium. The final assembled form, which is similar in all cases, is dependent on the environmental conditions to which the histones are exposed. It is suggested that each of the assembled histone structures, regardless whether it is composed of a single histone or a pair of histones, can serve as a core around which the DNA can be wrapped.

Immunological comparison of basic encephalitogen and histone F2A1

The extent of immunological cross-reaction between basic encephalitogen and histone F2A1 on both the humoral antibody level and on the cellular level has been established. The extent of humoral cross-reaction was tested by direct complement fixation employing both anti-histone F2A1 and antisera to basic encephalitogen, by inhibition of complement fixation, by radioimmunoassay and by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. The data obtained failed to reveal immunological cross-reaction at the cellular level was tested by the lymphocyte stimulation technique in rabbits and guinea pigs, by inhibition of lymphocyte stimulation and by delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions. A slight but significant cross-reaction between the two proteins on the cellular level was detected by inhibition of lymphocyte stimulation and by the delayed hypersensitivity test. It is concluded that the immunological studies provide limited evidence that the two proteins share antigenic determinants.

Exposure of histone antigenic determinants in chromatin

The exposure of antigenic determinants of histones present in "native" chromatin was studied by: (1) testing their ability to elicit anti-histone antibodies and (2) measuring their ability to interact with anti-histone sera. To this end, antisera specific to purified histone fractions and to purified rat liver chromatin were elicited in rabbits. The anti-chromatin sera did not react with pure histone fractions and pure histone fractions F2b, F3, F2a1, and F2a2 failed to inhibit the complement fixation resulting from the binding of anti-chromatin to chromatin. These results suggest that in native chromatin, determinants in these histones are not immunogenic. Histone F1, however, inhibited the reaction between chromatin and anti-chromatin. Antisera elicited by histone fractions reacted weakly with "native" chromatin. The maximal complement fixations (obtained with 5-10 mug of chromatin DNA) were as follows: 60% with anti-F2b, 20% with anti-F1 and anti-F3, and less than 5% with either anti-F2a1 or anti-F2a2. Studies of the interaction between anti-histone antibodies and chromatin in which chromatin was used as an immunoadsorbent indicated that antibodies against different histones were adsorbed to a different degree by the same amount of chromatin. Differences in the immunoadsorbing capacity between sonicated and nonsonicated chromatin were found. Quantitative adsorbtion studies revealed that in the "native" chromatin structure, antigenic determinants of F1 and F2b were more available to interact with homologous antibody than those of F3 and F2a1 and that determinants in F2a2 were the least available. It could be calculated that the "equivalent antigenicity" of the histones in chromatin was 9.6% for F1, 3.2% for F2b, and 0.90% for F3 and F2a1. Upon sonication these values did not change for F1 but increased two-, three-, and fourfold for F2b, F3, and F2a1, respectively. Digestion of chromatin with trypsin totally abolished the ability of chromatin to adsorb anti-histone antibodies.

Self assembly of histone F2a1

Purified F(2)a(1) histone molecules assemble into organized structures observable by electron microscopy. The basic structure observed at pH 8 and ionic strength of 0.15 has the shape of a bent rod with an average width of 22 A. The average circumferential length of the rod is 220 A and the average distance between the tips of the rod is 150 A. When the ionic strength is increased the rods align lengthwise into intertwined fiber-like structures. In some cases bent rods assemble "face-to-face" to give circular structures. At high protein concentrations the long fibers form paracrystalline arrays. Examination of these arrays by optical diffraction yielded a meridional reflection with a spacing of 150 A. The main additional reflections are compatible with a structure having a repeat unit of 300 A. We suggest that in chromatin the DNA is packed around organized periodic histone structures and that the periodicity of the histone structure may dictate the periodicity of the repeating unit in chromatin.

Nitration of the tyrosine in histone F1 in salt solutions and in F1-polyanion complexes

The reaction of histone F1 with tetranitromethane was used to study the environment of the single tyrosine residue in the molecule. It was found that at a 10-fold molar excess of tetranitromethane over tyrosine approx. 40 min were needed to convert 85% of the tyrosine residues to nitrotyrosine. The rate and extent of nitration of F1 in dilute salt solutions was used as a reference against which the rate and extent of nitration under conditions known to affect the conformation of F1 was measured. In 1.0 M NaCl solutions the rate of nitration decreased, suggesting that the presence of salt may cause a conformational change in the tyrosine containing region of the histone. When the histone is complexed with polyanions such as DNA, RNA or poly-L-glutamic acid the accessibility of the tyrosine to nitration is markedly reduced. The results indicate that upon association with polyanions the non-cationic, tyrosine-containing, region in F1 undergoes a conformational change or alternatively, this tyrosine containing region is tightly associated with the polyanion.