Core histone variants and ubiquitinated histones 2A and 2B of rat cerebral cortex neurons

Abstract

The pattern of non-allelic variants of core histones was investigated in terminally differentiated rat cerebral cortex neurons. At 30 days two major H2A variants are present, H2A.1 and .2, together with two minor components, .x and .z. H2B has two variants, H2B.1 and .2, and H3 presents three variants, H3.1, .2 and .3. The ubiquitinated adducts of all H2A and H2B variants can be recognised on two-dimensional electrophoresis as forming a pattern similar to that of the unmodified species. uH2A amounts to 12–14% of total H2A. A11 H2A variants appear to be equally modified. uH2B amounts to 1–2% of total H2B.