Structure of chromatin and the linking number of DNA

Recent observations suggest that the basic supranucleosomal structure of chromatin is a zigzag helical ribbon with a repeat unit made of two nucleosomes connected by a relaxed spacer DNA. A remarkable feature of one particular ribbon is that it solves the apparent paradox between the number of DNA turns per nucleosome and the total linking number of a nucleosome-containing closed circular DNA molecule. We show here that the repeat unit of the proposed structure, which contains two nucleosomes with -1 3/4 DNA turns per nucleosome and one spacer crossover per repeat, contributes -2 to the linking number of closed circular DNA. Space-filling models show that the cylindrical 250-A chromatin fiber can be generated by twisting the ribbon.

Conservative segregation of parental histones during replication in the presence of cycloheximide

Long stretches of protein-free, nonbeaded DNA were observed electron microscopically in nuclear spreads prepared from cells that had replicated their DNA in the absence of protein synthesis. The amount of this DNA increased with increasing time of replication in the presence of cycloheximide and was greatly decreased when replication was inhibited with 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (cytosine arabinoside). This DNA is considered to be "free" DNA because it has the same diameter as marker PM2 DNA and it is preferentially sensitive to DNase I digestion. Reversal of the cycloheximide block resulted in a burst of histone synthesis and repair of the depleted chromatin within 5 min. In addition, 26 presumptive replication forks were observed with beaded chromatin on two arms and free DNA on the third. These results suggest that new histones are usually deposited onto new DNA, that the cellular histone pool is very small, that histone migration is minimal in vivo for at least 18 hr, that for most fibers nuclesome assembly and segregation is conservative for stretches of DNA as long as 100 kbases, and that some part of the octameric histone core may remain bound to DNA during the replication process. The regularity we have observed for the assembly and segregation of nucleosomes is likely to be important for our understanding of how chromosomal information is segregated during development.

Nucleosomal DNA is digested to repeats of 10 bases by exonuclease III

Nucleosomes were treated with increasing concentrations of exonuclease III (Exo III) from E. coli. At low levels of Exo III, the heterogeneous distribution of monomers (with associated DNA fragments ranging in size between 140 and 170 bp) is "trimmed" down to a discrete core of 140 bp. The "trimming" of monomers to 140 bp results from a 3' exonucleolytic digestion accompanied by a 5' clipping activity which is specific for the conformation of internucleosomal DNA. At higher concentrations of Exo III, the enzyme digests the 140 bp "trimmed" nucleosome core from both 3' ends without associated 5' nuclease activity. Most striking is the observation that the fragments produced during such a digestion display discrete single-stranded lengths that are integer multiples of 10 bases. For some dimer nucleosomes, Exo III can digest as many as 200 bases from at least one 3' end and produce a 10 base interval ladder from about 400 bases down to 180 bases. This suggests that the enzyme can traverse the length of an entire nucleosome without destroying whatever structural features are necessary to produce a 10 base DNA ladder.

Changing paediatrics. 18 years admissions to a medical unit

The changes in the types of disease admitted to a childrens' unit over a period of 18 years are reviewed. Tuberculosis and rheumatic fever declined whereas increases took place in renal infections, nocturnal enuresis, poisoning, congenital heart disease, coeliac disease, gastroenteritis and iron deficiency anaemia. The incidence of respiratory disease varied considerably from year to year.

The mortality during this period, fell from 8.7 per cent to 1.8 per cent.

The effect upon the demand for beds was to reduce the numbers required for older children but to increase those required for infants. This made much greater demands upon nursing staff.