典型涡鞭毛虫（Zooxanthella microadriatica）含有多种染色质碱…

以往的研究都表明涡鞭毛虫类不含真核细胞普遍具有的组蛋白,而仅含１－２种分子量较小、含量较低和碱性较弱的染色质碱性蛋白。但我们采用自己建立的先固定后抽提的方法从典型涡鞭毛虫Ｚｏｏｘａｎｔｈｅｌｌａ ｍｉｃｒｏａｄｒｉａｔｉｃａ获得了多种碱性蛋白成分。经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分析,其中有六条带的迁称铉分别十分接近地对应着小牛胸腺的五种组蛋白（Ｈ１有两条亚带）。另外迁移率在Ｈ１与Ｈ３之间的三条互相靠近的电泳带     

前环藻(Amphidinium carterae)(涡鞭毛虫)染色质碱性蛋白的研究

本研究用甲醇固定、细胞匀浆、0.3NHCl抽提及丙酮沉降的四步法提取了属于典型涡鞭毛虫类的前环藻(Amphidinium carterae)之染色质碱性蛋白及作为对照的小牛胸腺组蛋白,并以酸尿素系统的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,对所提取的蛋白作了对比检查。结果小牛胸腺的总组蛋白被分离成H1、H3、H2A、H2B及H4五条电泳带;前环藻的蛋白样品在组蛋白电泳区唯一出现了一条电泳带,其电泳迁移率相当于小牛胸腺组蛋白H4。根据本结果和另外一些作者对其他一些涡鞭毛虫类的生化和细胞化学研究的结果,表明以往主要根据经典的细胞化学研究之结果而认为涡鞭毛虫类的细胞核或染色体不含组蛋白或碱性蛋白作为其一重要特征,是并不全面和可靠的。包括本研究在内的几个生化研究结果也暗示了涡鞭毛虫类的染色质主要含一种电泳迁移率类似于组蛋白H4的碱性蛋白可能是一普遍现象。     

以微量电泳方法检查夜光虫(Noctiluca miliaris)的细胞核碱性蛋白

本文以微量电泳方法在细胞水平上检查了属涡鞭毛虫(亦称甲藻)类的夜光虫(Noctiluca miliaris)营养体细胞核的碱性蛋白。为此而提出的单个细胞核的分离、匀浆及其碱性蛋白的提取和电泳分析方法,表明是有效而可靠的。夜光虫的核碱性蛋白提取物及作对照的小牛胸腺组蛋白在100微米口径的毛细凝胶管中的对比电泳检测中,发现夜光虫细胞核的碱性蛋白只出现单独的一条蛋白带,其电泳迁移率与组蛋白H4组份的相当。这一碱性蛋白在一个营养体夜光虫细胞核中的含量,估计约为60微微克。实验结果说明,夜光虫的细胞核虽然根据细胞学的研究是比典型的涡鞭毛虫类高等而更接近于典型的真核生物,但是它们并不含有典型真核生物普遍所含的五种组蛋白成份。在这一点上看来,它是又跟典型的涡鞭虫类相似的。     

尖尾藻的染色质碱性蛋白研究

利用“先固定后抽提”的方法,从尖尾藻细胞中提取出染色质碱性蛋白。经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分析,结果显示此染色质碱性蛋白含有八个组分（记为１＇、１″、２ａ、２ｂ、３＇、３″、４＇、４″）,它们像小牛胸腺组蛋白一样形成两个分子量区域,即一为对应组蛋白Ｈ１的分子量区域,另一对应于核心组蛋白（即Ｈ２Ａ,Ｈ２Ｂ,Ｈ３,Ｈ４）的分子量区域;其与组蛋白各组分的具体对应关系大致为：对应于小牛胸腺组蛋白Ｈ１两亚带区域有两     

嗜酸热硫球菌染色质碱性蛋白的提取

组蛋白是典型真核细胞中普遍存在的染色质碱性蛋白.早已有证据表明它们是一组高度保守的蛋白,其中四种核心组蛋白有着共同的起源,来自于同一始祖性的蛋白(组蛋白H1则有另外的起源).这种始祖性的蛋白如何进化发展成现今的组蛋白,人们最易想到的是从原核生物中去寻找线索.然而,迄今在原核生物的真细菌类(eubacteria)中所发现的染色质碱性蛋白无一与组蛋白有显著的同源性.70年代末以来,原核生物的另一类群——古细菌(Archaebacteria)类的陆续发现为这个问题的探明带来了希望.因为一系列的分子生物学证据表明,在亲缘关系上,古细菌类远比真细菌类更接近真核生物.目前在我国已发现几种古细菌,嗜酸热硫球菌(Sulfosphaerellus thermoacidophilum)即是其中之一.本工作利用我们建立的先用甲醇固定、后用稀盐酸抽提的方法对此古细菌的染色质碱性蛋白进行了提取,并将它与小牛胸腺组蛋白进行了比较研究.     

小牛胸腺脱氧核糖核酸的提取和分析

在许多生化工作中,需要一定纯度和保持某些天然性质的脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)。鉴于这个目的,我们以小牛胸腺为材料,对DNA提取和纯化进行了多种方法的摸索,并对产品进行了初步鉴定。实验结果说明,按照确定的方法所获得的DNA符合一般生化工作的要求,这套方法也可供提取其它组织DNA时参考。方法 1.DNA的提取 (1)小牛胸腺染色质的分离详细过程见《小牛胸腺染色质组成分析》一文。 (2)核组蛋白的制备从100克小牛胸腺制备的染色质溶解在1,000毫升1M NaCl溶液     

尾草履虫大核组蛋白的研究

本实验从分离提纯的尾草履虫大核染色质中抽提得碱性蛋白,经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳鉴定,氨基酸含量分析以及等电点和分子量测定,证明属低等真核生物的尾草履虫与高等真核生物一半,在细胞核染色质中含有正常的组蛋白成份,且以恒定的比例(约1:1)与DNA结合;这两类不同的真核细胞,组蛋白的成分和性质显示了相对的稳定性。     

海洋游仆虫细胞核染色质组分和组蛋白的初步研究

收集海洋游仆虫(Euplotes vannus)的细胞,制备其染色质。稀酸抽提染色质得到的组蛋白经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、SDS-聚丙烯酰胺梯度凝胶电泳、等电点聚焦和氨基酸分析等方法测定,其核染色质中组蛋白占核总蛋白的69.6％;DNA:RNA:组蛋白:非组蛋白为1∶0.022∶1.1∶0.047。染色质的全组蛋白由16种氨基酸组成,碱性氨基酸与酸性氨基酸之比为1.06∶1,是一种弱碱性蛋白质。等电点为pH8.1—9.15,分子量为10,500—22,000道尔顿。     

特殊涡鞭毛虫——尖尾虫染色体与典型涡鞭毛虫染色体的比较研究

我们实验室与上海细胞生物学研究所的有关同志多年来在特殊涡鞭毛虫──尖尾虫（Ｏｘｙｒｒｈｉｓｍａｒｉｎａ）的细胞生物学和生物化学上作了一系列的研究,本文所报道的是这些工作中的一部分。对尖尾虫（Ｏｘｙｒｒｈｉｓｍａｒｉｎａ）的永久浓聚染色体的精细形象以及不同固定方法对其精细形象的影响作了观察,并与人肠道细菌的类核体、典型涡鞭毛虫原甲藻（Ｐｒｏｒｏｃｅｎｔｒｕｍｍｉｃａｎｓ）和鞭毛虫眼虫（Ｅｎｇｌｅｎａｓｐ．）的永久浓聚染色体作了比较。结果表明,细菌的类核体的精细形象受固定方法的影响极大。反之,不同的固定方法对于眼虫染色体的精细形象则看不出有任何显著的影响。至于典型涡鞭毛虫类的染色体,单用ＯｓＯ４或用戊二醛－ＯｓＯ４双固定法固定,都会得到典型涡鞭毛虫类染色体的横带样结构,然而单纯用戊二醛固定,却会得到大不相同的形象。在这方面尖角虫的染色体与一般的涡鞭毛虫类的染色体相距甚远,其染色体的精细形象本身也与眼虫类的染色体较为相似,而与一般涡鞭毛虫类的大不相同。本工作所得到的结果与以前我们在不同方面所得到的结果一致。研究结果全都表明,失足虫与典型涡鞭毛虫有着一系列重大的差异,实际上代表着一个介于一般鞭毛虫类与典型涡鞭毛虫类     

对黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)和中华大蟾蜍(Bufo bufo asiatius)精子染色质的碱性蛋白和超微结构的比较研究

在精子形成过程中,精子细胞的细胞核高度浓缩成结构致密,体积很小的细胞核(精子核)。为了研究这种极度浓缩之染色质的组分和结构,我们用凝胶电泳法分析了黑斑蛙和蟾蜍的经过提纯之精子的染色质碱性蛋白和用电镜铺片法观察这些精子染色质的亚显微结构。我们发现黑斑蛙精子含有五种组蛋白,即H_1、H_3、H_(2B)、H_(2A)和H_4。H_3、H_(2A)、H_(2B)和H_4是核小体的主要组分。用电镜观察黑斑蛙精子染色质的结果说明,黑斑蛙精子染色质含有核小体结构,反之电泳分析结果说明,蟾蜍精子含有4条碱性蛋白带,其中1条带染色很深、宽度很大,迁移率远较组蛋白为大而与鱼精蛋白相似,而另外3条带染色既浅、宽度又狭,其中有1条从其迁移率来看相当于H_(2B)。用电镜观察时,这种蟾蜍精子染色质没有核小体结构。     

Presence of histones in Aspergillus nidulans

Five major histone proteins have been extracted from chromatin isolated from purified nuclei of the fungus, Aspergillus nidulans. These proteins had chromatographic properties which were similar to reference calf thymus histones and were purified to electrophoretic homegeneity by gel chromatography of Bio-Gel P10, Bio-Gel P60, and Sephadex G-100. Electrophoresis of these proteins in three different systems (urea- starch, urea-acetic acid polyacrylamide, and discontinuous SDS polyacrylamide) showed that the A. nidulans histones H3 and H4 were nearly identical to calf thymus H3 and H4 with respect to net charge and molecular weight criteria, whereas the fungal histones H1, H2a and H2b were similar but not identical to the corresponding calf thymus histones. Amino acid analysis of A. nidulans histones H2a, H2b, and H4 showed them to be closely related to the homologous calf thymus histones. The mobility patterns of A. nidulans ribosomal basic proteins in three different electrophoretic systems were distinctly different from those of the fungal histones.     

Chromatin and histones from Giardia lamblia: a new puzzle in primitive eukaryotes

The three deepest eukaryote lineages in small subunit ribosomal RNA phylogenies are the amitochondriate Microsporidia, Metamonada, and Parabasalia. They are followed by either the Euglenozoa (e.g., Euglena and Trypanosoma) or the Percolozoa as the first mitochondria-containing eukaryotes. Considering the great divergence of histone proteins in protozoa we have extended our studies of histones from Trypanosomes (Trypanosoma cruzi, Crithidia fasciculata and Leishmania mexicana) to the Metamonada Giardia lamblia, since Giardia is thought to be one of the most primitive eukaryotes. In the present work, the structure of G. lamblia chromatin and the histone content of the soluble chromatin were investigated and compared with that of higher eukaryotes, represented by calf thymus. The chromatin is present as nucleosome filaments which resemble the calf thymus array in that they show a more regular arrangement than those described for Trypanosoma. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and protein characterization revealed that the four core histones described in Giardia are in the same range of divergence with the histones from other lower eukaryotes. In addition, G. lamblia presented an H1 histone with electrophoretic mobility resembling the H1 of higher eukaryotes, in spite of the fact that H1 has a different molecular mass in calf thymus. Giardia also presents a basic protein which was identified as an HU-like DNA-binding protein usually present in eubacteria, indicating a chimaeric composition for the DNA-binding protein set in this species. Finally, the phylogenetic analysis of selected core histone protein sequences place Giardia divergence before Trypanosoma, despite the fact that Trypanosoma branch shows an acceleration in the evolutionary rate pointing to an unusual evolutionary behavior in this lineage.     

THE HISTONES ASSOCIATED WITH CONDENSED AND EXTENDED CHROMATIN OF MOUSE LIVER

Histones were extracted from isolated mouse liver nuclei, and from mouse liver condensed and extended chromatin. Mouse liver histones were found to be very similar to those of calf thymus in their solubility properties, relative electrophoretic mobilities, and molecular weights as determined on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Quantitative analysis by high-resolution gel electrophoresis demonstrated a remarkable similarity between the histones of condensed chromatin and those of extended chromatin. However, minor differences were found. A unique subspecies was found only in condensed chromatin histone and the relative amounts of fractions F2A1 and F2A2 differed in the two types of chromatin. The ratio of the parental to the acetylated form of F2A1 was identical in the two chromatin samples. Since DNA extracted from the condensed chromatin fraction consisted of approximately 50% satellite DNA, the general similarities between the histones of condensed and extended chromatin make it likely that even this simple, highly repetitive DNA is complexed with a number of histone subfractions.     

Marked differences in the ability of distinct protamines to disassemble nucleosomal core particles in vitro

In accordance with the results of classical experiments performed in vitro with calf thymus chromatin and the fish protamine salmine, we have observed that this highly basic, small molecular weight protamine cannot cause major displacement of histones from nucleosomal core particles at concentrations several times higher than physiological (arginine/nucleotide ratios 1-8) and that hyperacetylation of histones facilitates nucleosome disassembly. However, the avian protamine galline, with molecular weight and number of arginine residues almost twice those of common fish protamines, is able to displace the nucleosomal core histones from DNA in vitro at concentrations (arginine/nucleotide ratios 0.6-1.2) within the physiological range (0.8). Our results suggest that the binding of the avian protamine galline to chromatin could be directly involved in the rapid disassembly of nucleosomes that takes place during the nucleohistone nucleoprotamine transition in chicken spermiogenesis.     

Displacement of histones by sperm-specific proteins at different stages of spermatogenesis of squid

Changes in the composition of the chromatin basic proteins during spermatogenesis of the squid Illex argentinus were studied. The core histones of I. argentinus slightly differ from those of calf thymus in the subfractional composition of histones H2A and H2B. A similar amino acid composition is revealed in the histones H1 of the squid I. argentinus and calf thymus. Histone H1 of the squid has a lower molecular mass and a special subfractional composition as compared to those of calf thymus, grass carp and carp studied formerly [Kadura et al. (1983) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 743, 343-350]. Neither the fractional nor subfractional composition of histones changes during spermatogenesis. The two new proteins were revealed in the chromatin composition of squid testes and spermatozoa illexines I1 and I2. Illexine I2 is composed of two subfractions I2-1 and I2-2. Illexine I2 shows a high content of arginine (75 mol/100 mol). Serine (10 mol/100 mol), histidine (3,2 mol/100 mol) and tyrosine residues (2,9 mol/100 mol) are also present. Illexine I1 shows the presence of arginine (45,6 mol/100 mol), lysine (7.6 mol/100 mol), serine (11.4 mol/100 mol), hystidine (2.3 mol/100 mol) and tyrosine residues (2.8 mol/100 mol). Molecular masses of illexines I2 and I1 are approximately 7 kDa and 9 kDa respectively. It is supposed that during spermatogenesis the histones are displaced in two-stage order: histones----I1----I2.     

Distinctive features of dinoflagellate chromatin. Absence of nucleosomes in a primitive species Prorocentrum micans E

The absence of nucleosome-like structures from purified nuclei of the primitive dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans was demonstrated by three means. i) Electron microscopy revealed mostly thin, smooth 6-nm nucleofilaments in chromatin incubated at various ionic strengths and either fixed in 0.1% glutaraldehyde or unfixed. No "beads-on-a-string" structure was found. ii) Analysis of nuclear proteins showed that low amounts of basic proteins were present (basis proteins: DNA less than 0.1), the two major one with molecular weights 12 000 and 13 000 and that histones characteristic of eucaryotes were absent. iii) Digestion of the nuclei with micrococcal endonuclease of DNase I did not result in partially digested DNA fragment repeats. Only about 10% of the bulk of the nuclear DNA was digested by micrococcal endonuclease. The high molecular weight of the remainder suggests particular protection against this type of nuclease. In the light of these distinctive nuclear features, we discuss the evolutionary position of the dinoflagellate protists with respect to the procaryotes and eucaryotes.     

Isolation and characterization of histones and other acid-soluble chromosomal proteins from Physarum polycephalum

Chromosomal basic proteins were isolated from amoebal and plasmodial stages of the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum. Polyacrylamide electrophoresis on high resolution acid-urea gels separated the five histone fractions in the sequence H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. Under these electrophoretic conditions Physarum histones migrated more like plant (rye) than animal (calf) histones. Furthermore, Physarum histones H1, H2A, and H2B have higher molecular weights on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gels than the corresponding calf fractions. No differences were detected between amoebal and plasmodial histones on either acid-urea or SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Amoebal basic proteins were fractionated by exclusion chromatography. The five histone fractions plus another major acid-soluble chromosomal protein (AS) were isolated. The Physarum core histones had amino acid compositions more closely resembling those of the calf core histones than of rye, yeast, or Dictyostelium. Although generally similar in composition to the plant and animal H1 histones, the Physarum H1 had a lower lysine content. The AS protein was extracted with 5% perchloric acid or 0.5 M NaCl, migrated between histones H3 and H4 on acid-urea polyacrylamide gels, and had an apparent molecular weight of 15 900 on SDS gels. It may be related to a protein migrating near H1. Both somewhat resembled the high mobility group proteins in amino acid composition.     

Partial characterization of ram spermatidal basic nuclear proteins

Several techniques were used to demonstrate that eight spermatidal proteins are present in the nucleus of ram non-round spermatids. Excepting one, they all contain cysteine and are partially intermolecularly cross-linked in the chromatin of non-round spermatids. Ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose shows that most of them have over-all basic charges similar to those of histones. The molecular weights determined by gel filtration in 6M guanidine hydrochloride, range between that of the smallest histone and that of the basic nuclear sperm protein.     

Characterization of the unusual basic proteins of cricket spermatid nuclei on the basis of their molecular weights and amino acid compositions

Typical somatic cell type histones are lost from the nucleus during late spermiogenesis in the house cricket; they are replaced by unusual basic proteins specific to the spermatid. We wish to characterize these proteins because they appear to determine the unusual chromatin structures of the spermatid. Molecular weights of the unusual basic proteins were estimated by chromatographing them on Bio-Gel A 0.5 M agarose columns eluted with 6 M guanidine hydrochloride. Two proteins named TH1 and TH2 have molecular weights in the range spanned by the somatic histones. The molecular weight of TH1 is 17 500 and that of TH2 is 15 500. Three additional spermatid proteins were also analyzed by molecular weight determination. They are called here protamines A, B and C, and they have molecular weights in the range typical of protamines. That of A is 6200, of B is 5500 and of C is 3800. They span the range from the large protamines typical of mammalian sperm to the small protamines of salmonid fish. The molecular weights of the TH proteins were also examined by electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Amino acid compositions determined for TH1 and TH2 show that both are basic proteins rich in arginine relative to lysine. Their compositions are histone-like, but they appear to be distinct histone types rather than variant forms of the somatic histones.     

Comparative aspects of basic chromatin proteins in dinoflagellates

Previous work on histone-like proteins in dinoflagellates is summarized, together with some new data to give an overview of basic proteins in these algae. The first two dinoflagellates studied were both found to contain one major acid-soluble protein that migrated to the same position in acidic-urea gels. When several other genera were studied however, it became apparent that the histone-like proteins from different dinoflagellates were similar but not identical. In view of the great diversity of living dinoflagellates it is speculated that further differences in dinoflagellate basic chromatin proteins will be revealed. Electrophoretic data from the eukaryotic (endosymbiont) nucleus of Peridinium balticum showed the presence of five major components. It is speculated that two of these proteins represent an H1-like doublet and two others correspond to the highly conserved histones H3 and H4. The fifth component is a new histone that may substitute for H2A and H2B in the nucleosome. Because histones and nucleosomes are present in all higher organisms but completely lacking in procaryotes, studies on basic proteins in dinoflagellates will provides insights into the evolution of histones and eucaryotic chromatin organization.