A histone protease of rat liver chromatin

Histone degradation by the proteasome regulates chromatin and cellular plasticity

Histones constitute the primary protein building blocks of the chromatin and play key roles in the dynamic control of chromatin compaction and epigenetic regulation. Histones are regulated by intricate mechanisms that alter their functionality and stability, thereby expanding the regulation of chromatin‐transacting processes. As such, histone degradation is tightly regulated to provide spatiotemporal control of cellular histone abundance. While several mechanisms have been implicated in controlling histone stability, here, we discuss proteasome‐dependent degradation of histones and the protein modifications that are associated with it. We then highlight specific cellular and physiological states that are associated with altered histone degradation by cellular proteasomes.

Transcription-coupled replacement of histones: degradation or recycling?

Histone modifications are proposed to constitute a "histone code" for epigenetic regulation of gene expression. However, recent studies demonstrate that histones have to be disassembled from chromatin during transcription. Recent evidence, though not conclusive, suggests that histones might be degradable after being removed from chromatin during transcription. Degradation of overexpressed excessive histones, instead of native histones, has been shown to be dependent on proteasomes and ubiquitination. Since the 26S proteasome usually recognizes polyubiquitinated substrates, it is critical to demonstrate whether degradation of histones is mediated by polyubiquitination. Unexpectedly, there is almost no evidence that any ubiquitin ligase can promote polyubiquitination-dependent degradation of constitutive histones. Meanwhile, acetylation and phosphorylation are also associated with histone degradation. This review attempts to summarize the current knowledge on the transcription-coupled degradation of histones and its regulation by posttranslational protein modifications.

Role of Macrophage Lysosomal Enzymes in the Degradation of Nucleosomes of Apoptotic Cells

Although apoptotic cells are recognized and engulfed by macrophages via a number of membrane receptors, little is known about the fate of apoptotic cells after the engulfment. We observed in this study that nucleosomal DNA fragments of apoptotic cells disappeared when they were engulfed by the macrophage cell line J774.1 at 37oC. Pretreatment of J774.1 cells with chloroquine inhibited intensive DNA degradation, indicating that the cleavage of nucleosomal DNA fragments of apoptotic cells may take place in the lysosomes of J774.1. When apoptotic cells were exposed to a lysosome-rich fraction derived from J774.1 cells under an acidic condition, nucleosomal DNA fragments of apoptotic cells were no longer detectable by agarose gel electrophoresis. Additionally, we found that the lysosome-rich fraction of J774.1 cells contained an acid DNase that is similar to DNase II with respect to its m.w., optimal pH, and sensitivity to the inhibitors of DNase II. By exposure of apoptotic cells to the lysosomal-rich fraction, nucleosomal core histones of apoptotic cells were hydrolyzed along with degradation of nucleosomal DNA fragments. Addition of pepstatin A to the reaction buffer resulted in accumulation of ∼180-bp DNA fragments and inhibition of hydrolysis of nucleosomal core histones. Leupeptin or CA-074 partially inhibited the degradation of nucleosomal DNA fragments and core histones. These findings suggest that lysosomal enzymes of macrophages, e.g., DNase II-like acid DNase and cathepsins, are responsible for the degradation of nucleosomes of apoptotic cells.

Casein kinase II activity of buffalo sperm chromatin

Two cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activities have been found associated with buffalo sperm chromatin: a histone kinase highly specific for arginine-rich histone was reported recently (Mudgal et al., 1997: Arch Andrology 38:191-199) and a casein kinase II is described here. Casein kinase activity was solubilized with 0.35 M NaCl, which extracted 90% of the initial enzyme activity associated with buffalo sperm chromatin. Of the two acidic proteins tested, casein was preferred substrate over phosvitin. Among the casein fractions, the order of preference for casein kinase was beta-casein > alpha-casein > casein. Cyclic AMP at concentrations up to 50 microM had no effect on the phosphorylation of casein. Phosphoamino acid analysis using casein as the substrate showed threonine to be the acceptor amino acid for phosphoester link. Phosphorylation specificity was determined by phosphorylating buffalo beta-casein followed by the preparation of tryptic peptides and identification of amino acid residue phosphorylated. Threonine residue at position 41 having clusters of acidic amino acid residues (Thr. Glu. Asp. Glu) C-terminal to it was phosphorylated, a phosphorylation specificity akin to CKII. It is thought that phosphorylation of histones decreases their association with DNA and probably makes the DNA more available for replication, while phosphorylation of nonhistone proteins modifies their interaction with histones, allowing control of template activity. Two protein kinases found in buffalo sperm chromatin may perform a similar function.

Histone kinase activity of buffalo sperm chromatin

Phosphorylation of buffalo sperm chromatin proteins under optimum conditions (8 mM Mg2+, pH 8.0, and at 30 degrees C) using [gamma-32P]ATP and endogenous protein kinase activity was linear for 15 min incubation time and up to 330 micrograms protein. The 32P transferred from [gamma-32P]ATP was located in protein as a phosphoester bond. Fractionation with 1.2 M NaCl-4 M urea-0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol-1 mM PMSF followed by acid treatment solubilized 87% of the total chromatin proteins termed "sperm histones." The remaining 21% nonhistone protein was tightly bound to DNA. Follow-up of the label showed 91% of the 32P in sperm histone and 9% with DNA-associated proteins. Histone kinase activity was solubilized with 0.35 M NaCl, which extracted 70% of the initial enzyme activity associated with chromatin. Of the different histones tested as substrates, histone kinase phosphorylated only histone H3 and, therefore, is highly specific for arginine rich histone. It also phosphorylates the acidic protein, casein. Cyclic AMP at concentrations up to 50 microM had no effect on the phosphorylation of histone H3. Phosphoamino acid analysis using histone H3 as the substrate showed serine to be the acceptor amino acid for phosphoester link.

Purification and characterization of a protease from Xenopus embryos

A proteolytic enzyme was purified from Xenopus embryos. The purification procedure consisted of fractionation of an extract of embryos with acetone, gel filtration of Sephadex G-75 and chromatography on carboxymethyl-cellulose and hydroxylapatite. The preparation of enzyme appeared to be homogeneous as judged by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. This protease had a molecular mass of 43-44 kDa and was composed of two subunits with molecular masses of 30 kDa and 13 kDa. The optimal pH of the reaction catalysed by the protease was approximately 4.0. This proteolytic activity was inhibited by antipain, leupeptin and iodoacetic acid; it was not affected by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and pepstatin; and it was enhanced by dithiothreitol. In the presence of RNA, the optimal pH was shifted from pH 4.0 to pH 4.5. The protease was activated by addition of total RNA from Xenopus embryos, by poly(rU) or poly(rG). In contrast, after addition of tRNA or poly(rC), no activation of the protease was observed.

Hydrolysis of histones by proteinases

Hydrolysis of histones by proteinases from rat liver, skin and other sources was studied by using a rat thymus histone preparation as the substrate and polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and densitometric analysis as the methods to detect histone subtypes and their hydrolysis. The rat mast-cell proteinase I effectively hydrolysed histones except type H4. Thrombin hydrolysed effectively histones H1 and H2A, whereas plasmin hydrolysed all types of histones. Cathepsin D hydrolysed especially histone H2A. Cathepsins B and L hydrolysed all histones more slowly, and cathepsin H hydrolysed them extremely slowly. Epidermal aminoendopeptidase did not hydrolyse histones. Trypsin and chymotrypsin were used as reference enzymes, which hydrolysed all types of histones in very low concentrations. This study suggests that a variety of proteinases could play a role in histone hydrolysis. Hydrolysis of a specific subtype of histones, such as histone H2A at pH 6 by cathepsin D, may be directly involved in regulation of epidermal-cell differentiation.

Characterization of proteolytic activities in embryos of Xenopus laevis

1. Proteolytic activities in early embryos of Xenopus laevis exhibited maximum levels at pH 3.2, 5.6 and 7.2 when 3H-BSA was used as substrate, and the maximum proteolytic activity at pH 3.2 was several thousand-fold higher during the tail bud stage than in the unfertilized egg. 2. The proteolytic activity at pH 3.2 was separated into two fractions by gel chromatography. One fraction corresponded to a mol. wt of about 40,000 and its activity was inhibited by thiol protease inhibitors. The other appeared to be a protease of much higher mol. wt. 3. The maximum activities at pH 5.6 and 7.2 appear to correspond to proteins of mol. wt greater than 1,000,000.

Chromatin associated protease from calf thymus

We have identified and purified a chromatin bound protease from calf thymus. The purified enzyme cleaves histone H1 when whole histone is used as substrate. The enzyme is inhibited by Soya bean trypsin inhibitor, but not by PMSF, EDTA, pepstatin or Ellman's reagent. Further studies have shown that H1(0) and histone H5 are also cleaved by this enzyme, and that when HMG 1 and 2 are used as substrate HMG1 alone is degraded to give specific degradation products. We have also shown that the enzyme co-isolates with whole histone prepared by acid extraction of calf thymus nuclei, but interestingly it is not present in whole histone samples prepared in the same manner from pig thymus. A second chromatin bound protease which specifically cleaves histone H3 when whole histone is used as substrate has also been identified during the course of this work.

Increased proteolysis in chromatin of terminally differentiated and quiescent cells

Endogenous proteolysis in chromatin of terminally differentiated, quiescent, and actively proliferating cells was studied by measuring the released acid-soluble radioactivity of [3H]tryptophan-prelabelled nuclear proteins, and by following the specific quantitative and qualitative changes in electrophoregrams of chromosomal proteins. The experiments suggest that the chromatin of differentiated mouse kidney and liver cells, as well as chromatin from Friend cells induced to commit terminal differentiation, exhibit increased proteolysis in comparison with that of chromatin isolated from actively proliferating cells. Enhanced proteolysis was found also for the slowly renewing and quiescent cells from adult mice. The control experiments designated to discriminate between the two possible alternatives explaining the difference--increased activity of the proteolytic enzymes associated with chromatin, or increased susceptibility of the chromosomal proteins to proteases--supported the latter alternative.

Studies on synthesis and degradation rates and some molecular properties of guinea-pig muscle acylphosphatase

Acylphosphatase (acylphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.7) was purified from guinea-pig muscle by a procedure involving immuno-affinity chromatography and a subsequent ion-exchange chromatography. This purification technique gave an overall yield of about 60% and permitted the isolation of three molecular forms with acylphosphatase activity, with a distribution greatly resembling those found in horse and turkey muscle. The main form appears to be very similar to the corresponding form in horse and turkey muscle, as indicated by amino acid composition, end-group analysis, the presence of glutathione as a mixed disulphide in almost the same stoichiometric ratio and kinetic analysis. From turnover data, the main form of acylphosphatase in guinea-pig muscle exhibits a degradation constant of 0.10 day-1, corresponding to a half-life of 6.8 days. These values are very close to those found for muscle total soluble proteins.

Properties of Ca2+-activated protease specific for the intermediate-sized filament protein vimentin in Ehrlich-ascites-tumour cells

A Ca2+-activated neutral protease is described which, when tested against various native proteins, appears to be specific for vimentin, the 58,000-Mr subunit protein of intermediate-sized (7--11 nm) filaments in Ehrlich-ascites-tumour cells. The protein subunits of other classes of intermediate-sized filaments have been tested; neurofilament protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein are not degraded, however skeletin, the subunit protein of intermediate-sized filaments in smooth muscle, is degraded. The protease is found associated with the detergent-resistant cytoskeleton of Ehrlich-ascites-tumour cells; proteins, other than vimentin, present in this structure are not degraded. The protease is activated by Ca2+ and Sr2+ but not by other divalent cations tested: the Ca2+ concentration required for activation is 10 microM. The pH optimum is between pH 7.5 and 8.0, and the KCl concentration required for optimal activity is 100 mM. The protease is inhibited by 1-chloro-3-tosylamido-7-amino-L-2-heptanone hydrochloride and L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone but not by soybean trypsin inhibitor; inhibition by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride is moderate. The high substrate specificity of the protease suggests it may play a role in vimentin intermediate-sized filament protein turnover in Ehrlich-ascites-tumour cells.

Autodigestion of chromatin in some radiosensitive and radioresistant mouse cells. Role of proteolysis and endonucleolysis

Evidence is presented indicating that mouse thymus, spleen, kidney, lung and heart contain a protease activity with relatively high specificity for histones. It is suggested that degradation of chromatin occurring in irradiated lymphoid tissues is produced by the action of alkaline endonuclease in association with this histone protease. The autodigestion of chromatin was assessed by determining the release of soluble chromatin from cells suspended in sucrose media of low ionic strength. It was found that the protease inhibitors, phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride and especially NaHSO3, were also capable of depressing the activity of alkaline endonuclease, the fragmentation of chromatin, and the release of soluble chromatin. The results suggest that the release of histones from irradiated lymphoid tissues cannot be considered as a determinant step in the fragmentation of DNA in chromatin.

Comparative studies on chromatin proteins from chicken thrombocytes and erythrocytes

Comparative studies on chromatin composition, nature of non-histone chromatin proteins, histone fractions and the activity of chromatin-bound protease from chicken thrombocytes and erythrocytes were performed. Chemical analysis of chromatin preparations indicated the lack of an essential difference in the protein/DNA ratio. Analysis of non-histone chromatin proteins in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing showed a striking similarity of their electrophoretic patterns. Quantitative rather than qualitative differences predominated. During acidic urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it was found that histones from thrombocytes contain a fraction migrating with the electrophoretic mobility of histone H5 from erythrocytes. This fraction constitutes 6.7% and 19% of total histone in thrombocytes and erythrocytes, respectively. The electrophoretic patterns of histones, as well as the amount of peptides soluble in 25% trichloroacetic acid released during incubation of chromatin and isolated histones at pH 8, indicated that the activity of chromatin-bound protease was significantly higher in thrombocytes than in erythrocytes.

Presence of a thiol protease in regenerating rat-liver nuclei. Partial purification and some properties

1. Nuclei of regenerating rat liver washed with Triton X-100 were found to contain a new protease. Since the enzymatic activity for degrading ribosomal proteins was inhibited in vivo by administration of E-64, a thiol protease inhibitor, the enzyme may participate in the degradation of newly synthesized ribosomal proteins and histones in regenerating rat liver nuclei as reported previously by us [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 75, 525-531 (1077)]. The optimum pH was 5.5. 2. The enzyme was extracted from washed nuclei and partially purified by gel filtration through Sepharose 6B. Its molecular weight was about 40 000. A maximal activity of partially purified enzyme was observed in the presence of 1 mM EDTA and 2 mM dithiothreitol at pH 5.5 It was inhibited by thio reagents, E-64, leupeptin and hevy metal ions. The enzyme degraded ribosomal proteins endoproteolytically and degraded most proteins tested as substrates, although liver cell sap proteins and serum albumin were less degraded than ribosomal proteins and histones, alpha-N-Benzoylarginine-beta-naphthylamide and benzoylarginine amide were not hydrolyzed.

Involvement of an acrosinlike proteinase in the sulfhydryl-induced degradation of rabbit sperm nuclear protamine

Previous studies demonstrated that proteolytic activity is associated with isolated rabbit sperm nuclei and is responsible for the degradation of nuclear protamine that occurs during thiol-induced in vitro decondensation of the nuclei (Zirkin and Chang, 1977; Chang and Zirkin, 1978). In this study, we present the results of experiments designed to characterize this proteolytic activity. Basic protein isolated from rabbit sperm nuclei incubated with 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) and 1 percent Triton X-100 for increasing periods of time exhibited progressively faster migrating bands on acid-urea polyacrylamide gels, reflection the progressive degradation of protamine. Ultimately, a specific and characteristic peptide banding pattern resulted. When sperm nuclei were treated with the esterase inhibitor nitrophenyl-p-guanidino benzoate (NPGB) to inhibit the nuclear-associated proteolytic activity and then incubated with one of several exogenous proteinases in addition to DTT and Triton X-100, characteristic peptide banding patterns were seen for each exogenous proteinase employed. For trypsin, chymotrypsin, pronase, and papain, the peptide banding patterns differed from one another and from the pattern characteristic of protamine degradation by the nuclear-associated proteinase. By contrast, when rabbit acrosin served as the exogenous proteinase, the peptide banding pattern seen was identical to the pattern characteristic of the nuclear-associated proteinase. These results demonstrate directly that the proteinase associated with rabbit sperm nuclei and involved in sperm nuclear decondensation in vitro is acrosinlike.

Isolation of nucleolar DNA-binding proteins by simultaneous, competitive DNA--sephadex affinity chromatography

A new method is described for the isolation of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins, based on simultaneous, competitive binding to homologous or heterologous DNA. Since both types of DNA are bound to a solid matrix (Sephadex beads), the method may be used for the preparative isolation of proteins which bind preferentially to specific DNA sequences. Fractionation of nucleolar proteins from Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells by this technique yields two protein fractions which show much greater apparent specificity of binding to homologus DNA, in a nitrocellulose filter-binding assay, than unfractionated nucleolar proteins.

The inhibition of rat liver chromatin protease by congeners of the phenylboronic acids

A group of arylalkylboronic acids were synthesized in order to investigate the inhibitory potential of these compounds for rat liver chromatin protease (EC 3.4--). The effect of side chain length, side chain substitution and aromatic substitution on proteolytic activity in chromatin dissociated in salt and urea was assayed. It was determined that a side chain length two carbons long provided the greatest inhibitory effect with complete inhibition attainable at 20 mM concentration of phenylethylboronic acid. Aryl substitution in the ortho position proved to be the most potent structural change with complete inhibition attained by 1 mM concentration of 0-methylphenylethylboronic acid. The binding of these two inhibitors proved to be reversible.

Protease activities during preparation and handling of nuclear particles containing hnRNA

Conditions were devised to avoid protease activity during the preparation and the subsequent handling of nuclear particles containing hnRNA. During all the steps of preparation of rat liver particles, the presence of phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) was required for the reproducibility of the results. It probably inhibited the cellular serine proteases before the separation of the particles from the other cellular structures. Protease activity was detected in the rat liver particles. The enzyme(s) preferentially hydrolyzed a few particle polypeptides. It was not inhibited by PMSF, nor by two trypsin and chymotrypsin-like protease inhibitors, nor by iodoacetamide, but was inhibited by sodium bisulfite and para-hydroxymercury benzoate (PHMB). PHMB was preferred above bisulfite because it could be used at lower concentration. It proved useful when particles were to be incubated at 37 degrees C. A protease hydrolysing the same polypeptides as the liver enzyme was also detected in rat brain particles. However, its activity was much lower in this tissue and the presence of protease inhibitors was not absolutely required under the standard conditions of preparation and handling of brain particles.

Complete displacement of somatic histones during transformation of spermatid chromatin: a model experiment

Displacement of histones from calf thymus chromatin has been studied in an attempt to postulate the mechanisms involved in the total removal of somatic-type histones during transformation of spermatid chromatin. When chromatin is saturated with protamine (protamine/DNA, 0.5), histone I becomes displaceable at 0.15-0.3 M NaCl, suggesting that direct replacement by highly basic sperm histone could be a mechanism for its removal. While histone I is the only histone which is extensively degraded upon incubation of chromatin and, therefore, proteolysis might provide an additional mechanism for the removal of this histone, acetylation of chromatin by acetic anhydride greatly increases suscpetibility of histones IIb1, IIb2, and III to the chromosomally associated protease. These histones are extensively degraded and displaced from the DNA upon incubation of the acetylated chromatin. Although histone IV is not appreciably degraded, the proteolytic removal of acetylated histone III from chromatin weakens the interaction of acetylated histone IV to the DNA, and this histone becomes dissociable at 0.3 M NaCl. A comparison of the extent of chemical acetylation of individual histones observed in this investigation with that of enzymatic acetylation which can be achieved in vivo suggests that acetylation and proteolysis could be a mechanism for the removal of histone IIb2 and III. The displacement of histones IIb1 and IV could be explained on the basis of decreased binding to DNA as a result of their acetylation together with the proteolytic removal of their respective partner histones, IIb2 and III.

Subcellular distribution of histone-degrading enzyme activities from rat liver

Chromatin prepared from liver tissue contains a histone-degrading enzyme activity with a pH optimum of 7.5-8.0, whereas chromatin isolated from purified nuclei is devoid of it. The histone-degrading enzyme activity was assayed with radioactively labelled total histones from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Among the different subcellular fractions assayed, only lysosomes and mitochondria exhibited histone-degrading enzymes. A pH optimum around 4.0-5.0 was found for the lysosomal fraction, whereas 7.5-8.0 has been found for mitochondria. Binding studies of frozen and thawed lysosomes or mitochondria to proteinase-free chromatin demonstrate that the proteinase associated with chromatin isolated from frozen tissue originates from damaged mitochondria. The protein degradation patterns obtained after acrylamide gel electrophoresis are similar for the chromatin-associated and the mitochondrial proteinase and different from that obtained after incubation with lysosomes. The chromatin-associated proteinase as well as the mitochondrial proteinase are strongly inhibited by 1.0 mM phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride. Weak inhibition is found for lysosomal proteinases at pH 5. Kallikrein-trypsin inhibitor, however, inhibits lysosomal proteinase activity and has no effect on either chromatin-associated or mitochondrial proteinases. The higher template activity of chromatin isolated from a total homogenate compared to chromatin prepared from nuclei may be due to the presence of this histone-degrading enzyme activity.

Human skin proteases: separation and characterization of two alkaline proteases, one splitting trypsin and the other chymotrypsin substrates

Two alkaline proteases, one splitting preferentially the substrates of chymotrypsin (ATEE) and the other one those of trypsin (BAEE), were separated and partially purified by chromatographic means from human skin extract made in a buffer containing 1.07 mol/1 KC1. The proteins soluble in dilute buffer were removed by a prior extraction. The enzymes could be separated effectively only in the presence of KC1 at a high conc-ntration since large molecular size aggregates or polymers were formed in solutions of low ionic strength. In the presence of 2 mol/1 KC1 the molecular size of the BAEE-hydrolysing enzyme was 120000 and that of the ATEE-hydrolysing enzyme 30000. The ATEE-hydrolysing enzyme was purified by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography about 250 fold. It also hydrolysed esters of tryptophane and phenylalanine as well as casein with optimum pH 7.8--8.2. The enzyme was inhibited effectively by LBTI, SBTI and partially by trasylol, TPCK and TLCK, but not by E-600 and SH-modifers. The hydrolysis of ATEE was doubled in the presence of 1 mol/lKCl, NaCl, KBr or NaBr but that of casein was inhibited to some extent. Human serum and alpha-1-antitrypsin inhibited this enzyme but not C1-inactivator. alpha-2-Macroglobulin did not protect if from inhibition by SBTI. The BAEE-hydrolysing enzyme was purified by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and hydroxylapatite chromatography about 30 fold. It also split other esters of substituted basic amino acids as well as BAPA and histone proteins with optimum pH 7.5--8.2. It was inhibited by Trasylol and TLCK, but not by LBTI, SBTI, OMTI, TPCK, E-600, SH-modifiers, human serum, C1-inactivator or alpha-1-antitrypsin. Neither of these enzymes is exactly similar to any one of the enzymes so far separated from human tissues or fluids.

Major nonhistone proteins of rat liver chromatin: preliminary identification of myosin, actin, tubulin, and tropomyosin

Two major nonhistone polypeptides from rat liver chromatin have been identified as myosin and actin. Preliminary observations indicate that three other chromatin polypeptides of molecular weights 50,000, 34,000, and 32,000 are tubulin and heavy and light tropomyosin, respectively. A sixth component of molecular weight 65,000 which has been purified and electrophoreses as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels may be composed in part of protease-digested myosin. These six polypeptides together account for as much as 38% of the nonhistone protein mass of chromatin in this tissue.

A very rapidly migrating f1 histone associated with gene-sized pieces of DNA in the macronucleus of Oxytricha sp

Histones bound to gene-sized pieces of DNA in the macronucleus of Oxytricha sp. consist of five main fractions: f1, f2a1, f2a2, f2b and f3. Although the slightly lysine-rich and the arginine-rich histones in Oxytricha macronuclei are similar to comparable fractions in vertebrates, the lysine-rich f1 fraction differs. Oxytricha f1 is unique among eukaryotes in that it migrates faster than f2a1 and is located nearest the cathode in polyacrylamide-urea gels.

Metabolic activities of histones in rat liver and spleen

Synthesis and turnover of histone I and II in normal rat liver and spleen were studied by Amberlite CG 50 column chromatography. Histone I was separated into three or four subfractions, each of which showed a different rate of incorporation of [3H]lysine. This was verified by a more shallow gradient chromatography developed by Kinkade and Cole [3] for very lysine-rich histone (F1), which showed tissue specific differences between liver and spleen in both the elution pattern and synthetic rates. These subfractions were distinguished from each other by dodecylsulphate electrophoresis. The turnover, or disassociation of histone I and II in chromatin was measured by double-labelling of normal rat liver with [3H] and [14C]lysine. A good correspondence was found between the synthesis and turnover patterns of individual histone I fractions, while the histone II synthesized was conserved for over a month. From consideration of the turnover in relation to the cell population of normal liver tissue, which consists of a very small fraction of growing cells and a very large fraction of resting ones, it was concluded that turnover of histone I must occur even in resting cells. When DNA synthesis in the spleen was completely inhibited by hydroxyurea, the synthesis of histone II was inhibited but that of histone I was only partially inhibited. The remaining synthesis seemed to occur in cells in the resting state. It was concluded tentatively, the continuous replacement of very lysine-rich histones of chromatin must occur even in resting cells in which DNA synthesis has ceased. The biological significance of disassociation of histones from chromatin was discussed.