1. Quantitation of DNase I sensitivity in Xenopus chromatin containing active and inactive globin, albumin and vitellogenin genes
- Author
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Rudolf Weber, Christoph Meier, Felicity E. B. May, Susan Gerber-Huber, Barbara K. Felber, Bruce R. Westley, and Gerhart U. Ryffel
- Subjects
Male ,Erythrocytes ,Lipoproteins ,Xenopus ,Restriction fragment ,Vitellogenins ,Vitellogenin ,Albumins ,Genetics ,Animals ,Deoxyribonuclease I ,Globin ,Gene ,Deoxyribonucleases ,Base Sequence ,biology ,Nucleic Acid Hybridization ,DNA ,DNA Restriction Enzymes ,Endonucleases ,Molecular biology ,Chromatin ,Globins ,Genes ,Liver ,Biochemistry ,Naked DNA ,biology.protein ,DNase I hypersensitive site ,Hypersensitive site - Abstract
The disappearance of defined restriction fragments of the beta 1-globin, an albumin and the A1 vitellogenin gene was quantitated after DNase I digestion and expressed by a sensitivity factor defined by a mathematical model. Analysis of naked DNA showed that the gene fragments have similar but not identical sensitivity factors. DNase I digestion of chromatin revealed for the same gene fragments sensitivity factors differing over a much wilder range. This is correlated to the activity of the genes analyzed: the beta 1-globin gene fragment is more sensitive to DNase I in chromatin of erythrocytes compared to hepatocytes whereas the albumin gene fragment is more sensitive to DNase I in chromatin of hepatocytes. The A1 vitellogenin gene has the same DNase I sensitivity in both cell types. Comparing the DNase I sensitivity of the three genes in their inactive state we suggest that different chromatin conformations may exist for inactive genes.
- Published
- 1981