Assembly of SV40 chromatin in a cell-free system from Xenopus eggs. 1977

R A Laskey, and A D Mills, and N R Morris

A cell-free system is described which assembles chromatin from purified DNA in 1 hr under physiological incubation conditions. It consists of a 145,000 x g (maximum) supernatant fraction from eggs of Xenopus laevis. It converts SV40 DNA to a nucleoprotein which co-sediments with naturally occurring SV40 chromatin and which can be cleaved by micrococcal nuclease to a highly ordered pattern of DNA fragments resembling those from digestion of liver chromatin. It inserts superhelical turns into relaxed, covalently closed DNA. The assembly process is not cooperative. Under limiting conditions, each DNA molecule becomes partially assembled. Assembly does not require replication of the DNA or protein synthesis, but occurs from a stored histone pool of at least 40 ng per egg. Under conditions of DNA excess, assembly becomes dependent upon the amount of exogenous histones added to the incubation. Apart from histones and a nicking-closing activity, chromatin assembly requires an additonal thermolabile factor which is present in the egg supernatant.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010063 Ovum A mature haploid female germ cell extruded from the OVARY at OVULATION. Egg,Egg, Unfertilized,Ova,Eggs, Unfertilized,Unfertilized Egg,Unfertilized Eggs
D002474 Cell-Free System A fractionated cell extract that maintains a biological function. A subcellular fraction isolated by ultracentrifugation or other separation techniques must first be isolated so that a process can be studied free from all of the complex side reactions that occur in a cell. The cell-free system is therefore widely used in cell biology. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p166) Cellfree System,Cell Free System,Cell-Free Systems,Cellfree Systems,System, Cell-Free,System, Cellfree,Systems, Cell-Free,Systems, Cellfree
D002843 Chromatin The material of CHROMOSOMES. It is a complex of DNA; HISTONES; and nonhistone proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE) found within the nucleus of a cell. Chromatins
D003851 Deoxyribonucleases Enzymes which catalyze the hydrolases of ester bonds within DNA. EC 3.1.-. DNAase,DNase,Deoxyribonuclease,Desoxyribonuclease,Desoxyribonucleases,Nucleases, DNA,Acid DNase,Alkaline DNase,DNA Nucleases,DNase, Acid,DNase, Alkaline
D004279 DNA, Viral Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses. Viral DNA
D005260 Female Females
D006657 Histones Small chromosomal proteins (approx 12-20 kD) possessing an open, unfolded structure and attached to the DNA in cell nuclei by ionic linkages. Classification into the various types (designated histone I, histone II, etc.) is based on the relative amounts of arginine and lysine in each. Histone,Histone H1,Histone H1(s),Histone H2a,Histone H2b,Histone H3,Histone H3.3,Histone H4,Histone H5,Histone H7
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013539 Simian virus 40 A species of POLYOMAVIRUS originally isolated from Rhesus monkey kidney tissue. It produces malignancy in human and newborn hamster kidney cell cultures. SV40 Virus,Vacuolating Agent,Polyomavirus macacae,SV 40 Virus,SV 40 Viruses,SV40 Viruses,Vacuolating Agents
D014176 Protein Biosynthesis The biosynthesis of PEPTIDES and PROTEINS on RIBOSOMES, directed by MESSENGER RNA, via TRANSFER RNA that is charged with standard proteinogenic AMINO ACIDS. Genetic Translation,Peptide Biosynthesis, Ribosomal,Protein Translation,Translation, Genetic,Protein Biosynthesis, Ribosomal,Protein Synthesis, Ribosomal,Ribosomal Peptide Biosynthesis,mRNA Translation,Biosynthesis, Protein,Biosynthesis, Ribosomal Peptide,Biosynthesis, Ribosomal Protein,Genetic Translations,Ribosomal Protein Biosynthesis,Ribosomal Protein Synthesis,Synthesis, Ribosomal Protein,Translation, Protein,Translation, mRNA,mRNA Translations

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