Histone acetylation in rat liver nuclei

Rat liver nuclei were incubated for various lengths of time in the presence of increasing concentrations of acetyl CoA. The rate of acetylation varied strongly according to the acetyl CoA concentration. A very small part of the histone was acetylated. After incubation in the presence of increasing acetyl CoA concentrations, four apparent Km could be determined. Electrophoretic analysis showed that only histone H3 was acetylated which suggests that each Km corresponds to a sequential acetylation of its lysine residues. This could be correlated with the possible role of histone acetylation in the control of gene activity.     

Protein phosphatase from rat liver nuclei

Summary Protein phosphatase, active on non-histone phosphoprotein substrate, was partially purified from rat liver cell nuclei by means of salt extraction, ammoniumsulfate precipitation, DEAE cellulose chromatography, gel filtration and preparative isoelectrofocusing.Rat liver nuclei contain a heterogenous population of different protein phosphatases. All the enzyme fractions eluted from DEAE cellulose are of low molecular weight between 12,000–31,000. The pH 5.5 peak fraction of preparative isoelectrofocusing was characterized in detail. It has a pH optimum of 6.8 using nuclear phosphoprotein substrate. It is inhibited by Na⁺ at 80mm, and to a lesser extent by K⁺, activated by Mg²⁺(5mm) and Mn²⁺ (1mm). However, the latter is inhibitory at 6mm.The nuclear protein phosphatase is also active on labelled F1 and F2b histones and casein, however, its V is lower on histones and it contains component(s) active specifically on nuclear phosphoprotein substrate but not on casein.Abbreviations PP-ase protein phosphat Part of this work was presented at the XI^th FEBS Meeting, Copenhagen 1977.     

Glycoprotein mannosylation in rat liver nuclei

Nuclei and non-nuclear membranes were tested for their ability to transfer in vitro (14C)mannose from GDP-(14C)mannose to endogenous glycoprotein acceptors in the presence and in the absence of exogenous retinyl-phosphate. Electrophoretic analysis shows that retinylphosphate is responsible for the labeling of a few endogenous acceptors only in the non-nuclear membranes; in the nuclei the mannosylation reaction is not retinylphosphate dependent and the electrophoretic profile of the labeled protein acceptors is different from that of the non-nuclear membranes.     

The protein kinases of rat liver nuclei

Two compounds with properties of Factor F-430 were purified from $\text{Methanobacterium}\text{bryantii}$ by column chromatography. Analysis of these compounds by neutron activation and atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed the presence of nickel and the absence of other metals commonly associated with molecules of biological origin. For the two compounds, the masses are 3300 daltons per mol Ni and 1500 daltons per mol Ni. The absorbance at 430 nm of both compounds is between 2.7?2.1 × 10⁴ cm^?1 L (mol Ni)^?1. Factor F-430 appears to be a unique, nickel-containing compound of low molecular weight.     

Histone binding to isolated rat liver nuclei

Calf thymus histone H3 bound irreversibly to the isolated rat liver nuclei. The rate and extent of binding was a function of the incubation period and the concentration of both H3 and nuclei, but independent of the temperature. The binding was saturable and was inhibited by simultaneous presence of various histones. Approximately 94% of the bound H3 was associated with nuclear membrane fraction.     

Antiestrogen binding sites in rat liver nuclei

Isolated, intact rat liver nuclei have high-affiity (K_d=10⁻⁹ M) binding sites that are highly specific for nonsteroidal antiestrogens, especially for compounds of the triphenylethylene series. Nuclear [³H]tamoxifen binding capacity is thermolabile, being most stable at 4°C and rapidly lost at 37°C. More [³H]tamoxifen, however, is specifically bound at incubation temperatures of 25°C and 37°C than at 4°C although prewarming nuclei has no effect, suggesting exchange of [³H]tamoxifen for an unidentified endogenous ligand. Nuclear antiestrogen binding sites are destroyed by trypsin but not by deoxyribonuclease I or ribonuclease A. The nuclear antiestrogen binding protein is not solubilized by 0.6 M potassium chloride, 2 M sodium chloride, 0.6 M sodium thiocyanate, 3 M urea, 20 mM pyridoxal phosphate, 1% (w/v) digitonin or 2% (w/v) sodium cholate but is extractable by sonication, indicating that it is tightly bound within the nucleus. Rat liver nuclear matrix contains high-affinity (K_d=10⁻⁹ M) [³H]tamoxifen binding sites present in 5-fold higher concentrations (4.18 pmol/mg DNA) than in intact nuclei (0.78±0.10 (S.D.) pmol/mg DNA). Low-speed rat liver cytosol (20 000×g, 30 min) contains high-capacity (955±405 (S.D.) fmol/mg protein), low-affinity (K_d=10.9±4.5 (S.D.) nM) antiestrogen binding sites. In contrast, high-speed cytosol (100 000×g, 60 min) contains low-capacity (46±15 (S.D.) fmol/mg protein), high-affinity (K_d=0.61± 0.20 (S.D.) nM) binding sites. Low-affinity cytosolic sites constitute more than 90% of total liver binding sites, high-affinity cytosolic sites 0.3%–3.2%, and nuclear sites less than 0.5% of total sites.     

PLA2 activity in rat liver nuclei

• 1.1. Subcellular fractions of rat liver were assayed for PLA₂ activity.
• 2.2. The PLA₂ assay measures the release of [³ H]oleic acid from phospholipids, using labeled E. coli as substrate.
• 3.3. Nuclear fractions contained PLA₂ activity, which was Ca²⁺ dependent and could not be explained from mitochondrial, microsomal or plasma membrane contamination.
• 4.4. The V_max value of nuclear PLA₂ is 0.30 ± 0.04 pmol oleic acid/min/mg protein; its K_m value is 0.86±0.12μM, similar to that of mitochondrial PLA₂.
• 5.5. We conclude that rat liver nuclei contain PLA₂ activity.

     

Calcium-activated DNA fragmentation in rat liver nuclei

Incubation of isolated rat liver nuclei with ATP, NAD+, and submicromolar Ca2+ concentrations resulted in extensive DNA hydrolysis. Half-maximal activity occurred with 200 nM Ca2+, and saturation of the process was observed with 1 microM Ca2+. ATP stimulated a calmodulin-dependent nuclear Ca2+ uptake system which apparently mediated endonuclease activation. Ca2+-activated DNA fragmentation was inhibited by the inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, 3-aminobenzamide, and was associated with poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of nuclear protein. The characteristics of this endonuclease activity indicate that it may be responsible for the Ca2+-dependent fragmentation of DNA involved in programmed cell death (apoptosis) and in certain forms of chemically induced cell killing.     

Antiestrogen binding sites in rat liver nuclei

Isolated, intact rat liver nuclei have high-affinity (Kd = 10(-9) M) binding sites that are highly specific for nonsteroidal antiestrogens, especially for compounds of the triphenylethylene series. Nuclear [3H]tamoxifen binding capacity is thermolabile, being most stable at 4 degrees C and rapidly lost at 37 degrees C. More [3H]tamoxifen, however, is specifically bound at incubation temperatures of 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C than at 4 degrees C although prewarming nuclei has no effect, suggesting exchange of [3H]tamoxifen for an unidentified endogeneous ligand. Nuclear antiestrogen binding sites are destroyed by trypsin but not by deoxyribonuclease I or ribonuclease A. The nuclear antiestrogen binding protein is not solubilized by 0.6 M potassium chloride, 2 M sodium chloride, 0.6 M sodium thiocyanate, 3 M urea, 20 mM pyridoxal phosphate, 1% (w/v) digitonin or 2% (w/v) sodium cholate but is extractable by sonication, indicating that it is tightly bound within the nucleus. Rat liver nuclear matrix contains high-affinity (Kd = 10(-9) M) [3H]tamoxifen binding sites present in 5-fold higher concentrations (4.18 pmol/mg DNA) than in intact nuclei (0.78 +/- 0.10 (S.D.) pmol/mg DNA). Low-speed rat liver cytosol (20 000 X g, 30 min) contains high-capacity (955 +/- 405 (S.D.) fmol/mg protein), low-affinity (Kd = 10.9 +/- 4.5 (S.D.) nM) antiestrogen binding sites. In contrast, high-speed cytosol (100 000 X g, 60 min) contains low-capacity (46 +/- 15 (S.D.) fmol/mg protein), high-affinity (Kd = 0.61 +/- 0.20 (S.D.) nM) binding sites. Low-affinity cytosolic sites constitute more than 90% of total liver binding sites, high-affinity cytosolic sites 0.3%-3.2%, and nuclear sites less than 0.5% of total sites.     

Histone-specific acetyltransferase from the rat liver nuclei

Certain properties of histone-specific acetyltransferases A, B and C, obtained from the rat liver are determined. pH optimum for enzyme A is within the range of 7.5-8.5, for B--7.8 and for C--7.5. The maximal activity for enzymes A, B and C is observed with the 60 micrograms/ml concentration of the substrate. The activity is inhibited by N-maleimide, iodacetamide and chloromercuribenzoate. The results obtained show that a number of similar properties are typical of the above enzymes.     

DNA degradation in isolated rat liver nuclei

Purified rat liver nuclei were incubated at 4°C. After different intervals of incubation aliquots of the nuclear suspension were taken and DNA was extracted by a common SDS-phenol-chloroform procedure. The fractionation of DNA by agar gel electrophoresis revealed large DNA fragments. It was shown that the well-known DNA degradation to monomers and its multiples is preceeded by an earlier breakdown of DNA into characteristic large fragments.