Chemical composition of a preparation of the cell walls of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

The chemical characteristics of 6 batches of the preparation, obtained from the cell wall of C. diphtheriae grown in liquid and solid culture media, with respect to their content of nitrogen, hexoses, pentoses, total amino sugars, lipids and to the possible admixture of nucleic acids are presented. From the results of the chemical analysis of these batches their standardization according to the ratio of total amino sugars and pentoses to total nitrogen in C. diphtheriae cell-wall preparation is proposed.     

Spatial Organization of DNA in the Nucleus May Determine Positions of Recombination Hot Spots

A hypothesis has been proposed that the regions of DNA loop anchorage to the nuclear matrix are the preferential sites (hot spots) of illegitimate recombination mediated or triggered by topoisomerase II of the nuclear matrix. Recombination between the regions of DNA loop anchorage to the nuclear matrix may result in deletion or repositioning of DNA loops or their groups. The proposed hypothesis is confirmed by the results of original experiments and published data obtained by other researchers.__________Translated from Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, Vol. 39, No. 4, 2005, pp. 633–638.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Razin, Iarovaia.     

Specific radial positions of centromeres of human chromosomes X, 1, and 19 remain unchanged in chromatin-depleted nuclei of primary human fibroblasts: evidence for the organizing role of the nuclear matrix

Radial positions of centromeres of human chromosomes X, 1, and 19 were determined in the nuclei of primary fibroblasts before and after removal of 60%-80% of chromatin. It has been demonstrated that the specific radial positions of these centromeres (more central for the chromosome 19 centromere and more peripheral for the centromeres of chromosomes 1 and X) remain unchanged in chromatin-depleted nuclei. Additional digestion of nuclear RNA did not influence this specific distribution. These results strongly suggest that the characteristic organization of interphase chromosomes is supported by the proteinous nuclear matrix and is not maintained by simple repulsing of negatively charged chromosomes.