Reconstitution experiments show that sequence-specific histone-DNA interactions are the basis for nucleosome phasing on mouse satellite DNA

• Published in: Cell Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 281 - 290
• Main Authors: Linzweiler, Winfried, Hörz, Wolfram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, MA Elsevier Inc 01.01.1985; Cell Press
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatin. Chromosome; DNA - metabolism; DNA, Satellite - metabolism; Exodeoxyribonucleases - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Histones - metabolism; Mice; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Nucleosomes - metabolism; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Chromatin; Nucleosome; Rodentia; Molecular interaction; Satellite DNA; In vivo; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; DNA; Histone; Localization; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0092-8674
• DOI: 10.1016/S0092-8674(85)80123-9

The molecular basis underlying the sequence-specific positioning of nucleosomes on DNA was investigated. We previously showed that histone octamers occupy multiple specific positions on mouse satellite DNA in vivo and have now reconstituted the 234 by mouse satellite repeat unit with pure core histones into mononucleosomes. Histories from mouse liver or chicken erythrocytes bind to the DNA in multiple precisely defined frames in perfect phase with a diverged 9 by subrepeat of the satellite DNA. This is the first time that nucleosome positions on a DNA in vivo have been compared to those found on the same DNA by in vitro reconstitution. Most of the nucleosomes occupy identical positions in vivo and in vitro. There are, however, some characteristic differences. We conclude that sequence-dependent histone-DNA interactions play a decisive role in the positioning of nucleosomes in vivo, but that the nucleosome locations in native chromatin are subject to additional constraints.