Open AccessEffects of retinol on chromatin structure
Author(s) -
FERRARI Nicoletta,
VIDALI Giorgio
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1985.tb09101.x
Subject(s) - chromatin , retinol , histone , chemistry , biochemistry , vitamin , acetylation , digestion (alchemy) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , dna , chromatography , gene
The effect of retinol is studied in 3T3 cultured cells. The vitamin induces a decreased rate of cell proliferation and an augmented sensitivity of chromatin to DNase I digestion. Biochemical analyses of chromosomal components establish that the rates of radioactive acetate uptake and turnover on histones are increased leaving unaltered the steady‐state level of histone acetylation. The presence of retinol in the culture medium also causes the disappearance of a protein of M r 20000, which is co‐extracted with the high‐mobility‐group proteins. The observed changes in chromatin structure and composition are reversible when retinol is removed from the culture medium.