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The superstructure of chromatin and its condensation mechanism

I. Synchrontron radiation X-ray scattering results

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Abstract

Synchroton radiation X-ray scattering experiments have been performed on chicken erythrocyte chromatin fibres over a wide range of ionic conditions and on various states of the fibres (i.e. “native” in solution in gels and in whole nuclei; chromatin depleted of the H1 (H5) histones and chromatin with bound ethidium bromide).

A correlation between the results obtained with the various chromatin preparations provides evidence for a model according to which at low ionic strength the chromatin fibre already possesses a helical superstructure, with a diameter comparable to that of condensed chromatin, held together by the H1 (H5) histone. The most significant structural modification undergone upon an increase of the ionic strength is a reduction of the helix pitch, this leads to condensation in a manner similar to the folding of an accordion. The details of this process depend on whether monovalent or divalent cations are used to raise the ionic strength, the latter producing a much higher degree of condensation. Measurements of the relative increase of the mass per unit length indicate that the most condensed state is a helical structure with a pitch around 3.0–4.0 nm.

In this paper we give a detailed presentation of the experimental evidence obtained from static and time-resolved scattering experiments, which led to this model.

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Author notes

  1. L. Perez-Grau

    Present address: Juan de la Cierva, Instituto de Biologia de Barcelona, C. Jorge Girona Salgado s/n, Barcelona, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Daresbury Laboratory, MRC/SERC Biology Support Laboratory, WA4 4AD, Warrington, United Kingdom

    J. Bordas & C. Nave

  2. European Molecular Biology Laboratory, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-2000, Hamburg 52, Germany

    L. Perez-Grau, M. H. J. Koch & M. C. Vega

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  1. J. Bordas
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  2. L. Perez-Grau
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  3. M. H. J. Koch
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  4. M. C. Vega
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  5. C. Nave
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Bordas, J., Perez-Grau, L., Koch, M.H.J. et al. The superstructure of chromatin and its condensation mechanism. Eur Biophys J 13, 157–173 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542560

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542560

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