Open AccessThe structural organization of dinudeosomes and oligonucleosomes. Electric dichroism and birefringence study
Author(s) -
Claude Houssier,
Ignace Lasters,
Serge Muyldermans,
Lode Wyns
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/9.21.5763
Subject(s) - dichroism , birefringence , circular dichroism , nucleosome , biophysics , linear dichroism , dna , biology , crystallography , linker dna , biochemistry , chemistry , histone , optics , physics
The spatial organization of nucleosomes and linker DNA in dinucleosomes and oligonucleosomes of various chain lengths has been investigated through electric dichroism, birefringence and relaxation times measurements at low ionic strengths (0.5 to 2.2 mM). From the negative dichroism observed for all the samples, it is concluded that the nucleosome subunits in the oligonucleosome chain must lie with their disc planes closely parallel to the fibre axis. The large increase of the negative dichroism of dinucleosomes upon Hl removal is interpreted by the unwinding of the DNA tails and the internucleosomal segment. All the samples displayed, under bipolar pulses, a predominantly induced orientation mechanism.