Open AccessStructural Investigations on Isolated Chromatin of Higher‐Order Organisation
Author(s) -
BRUST Rüdiger,
HARBERS Eberhard
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1981.tb06381.x
Subject(s) - order (exchange) , chromatin , computational biology , biology , business , genetics , dna , finance
Chromatin of a high structural order was prepared by a method avoiding drastic mechanical stress, as well as strong changes of the ionic strength, and was investigated by small‐angle X‐ray scattering. The results obtained support the idea that the quaternary structure of completely hydrated chromatin in solution is a solenoid with a diameter of about 32–34 nm. Gel chromatography of this chromatin yields solutions containing mainly quaternary structures with differing portions of tertiary structure. Decrease of the ionic strength results in an increase of loosening and unfolding of quaternary structures. Reconstitution by readjustment of the physiological ionic strength indicates slight differences between reconstituted and original higher‐order structures.