Abstract
The extent of heat-induced structural alterations in chromatin containing nascent (pulse-labeled) DNA was assayed using the enzyme micrococcal nuclease. The basic nucleosome structure in nascent and mature chromatin of S-phase cells appeared unaltered for up to 16 hr after exposure to hyperthermic temperatures as high as 48/sup 0/C for 15 min. However, the rate of nuclease digestion of DNA in both nascent and mature chromatin is inhibited following exposure to hyperthermic temperatures. In unheated cells, pulse-labeled nascent DNA matured into mature chromatin structure with a half-time of 2.5 min. The half-time for the maturation of pulse-labeled DNA from nascent into mature chromatin increased in a linear manner as a function of increasing temperature of exposure with constant heating time at temperatures above 43/sup 0/C. Both the reduced nuclease digestibility of nascent DNA and the increased time for chromatin structural changes could be due to the increased protein mass of chromatin following hyperthermia.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have