Open AccessOn the Competition between Protamines and Histones: Studies Directed towards the Understanding of Spermiogenesis
Author(s) -
BODE Jürgen,
WILLMITZER Lothar,
OPATZ Karin
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1977.tb11264.x
Subject(s) - protamine , histone , chromatin , nucleosome , biology , dephosphorylation , spermiogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , histone modifying enzymes , dna , genetics , biochemistry , phosphorylation , chemistry , sperm , phosphatase , heparin
Specific contacts between the crossinteracting histones effectively prevent their protamine‐mediated displacement from nucleoproteins revealing a complex competition pattern not expected from their relative affinities to DNA. Histone H1 is the only species freed under a variety of conditions if native chromatin is used; the results found with chromatins obtained by conventional methods reflect the extent to which histone redistribution has occurred. It is concluded that the events occurring during spermiogenesis must be apt to disrupt histone interactions found in the nucleosomes. The possible role of a protamine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanism is discussed on the basis of comparative experiments with protamines phosphorylated to different extents.