Template restriction in human chromatin.

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Escherchia coli was used to transcribe chromatin from human leukocytes and purified human DNA. RNA was labeled at the 5' terminus with either [gamma-32P]ATP or [gamma-32P]GTP and internally with [3H]UTP. Determination of the average chain length of the RNA molecules by the ratio of moles of 3H-labeled nucleotide incorporated to moles 32P-labeled nucleotide incorporated showed that the size of the transcript of purified DNA was about 2 1/2 times greater than those from chromatin. The percentage of chains initiated with ATP and GTP was observed to vary with the template, the ATP to GTP ratio being greater on chromatin. The kinetics of 3H and 32P hybridization of transcripts of purified DNA showed hybridization primarily to nonrepetitive sequences. Transcripts from the chromatin templates when hybridized to DNA showed a larger proportion of RNase resistance of the 32P-termini at low Cot's.