Ultraviolet light induced preferential cross-linking of histone H3 to deoxyribonucleic acid in chromatin and nuclei of chicken erythrocytes

Histones have been cross-linked to DNA in chicken erythrocyte nuclei and chromatin by using ultraviolet light irradiation at 254 nm. Following irradiation, cross-linked histone-DNA adducts were isolated and purified by hydroxylapatite chromatography, and the DNA component was subjected to acid hydrolysis. Of several hydrolysis techniques investigated, trichloroacetic hydrolysis of the DNA component of the adducts was found to be most effective. Histones isolated from hydrolyzed histone-DNA adducts were characterized by gel electrophoresis and fingerprint analysis. No histone-histone protein adducts were observed. All histone fractions have been shown to cross-link DNA in nuclei or chromatin by utilizing the technique employed, but with different propensities. The order of observed cross-linking, deduced from kinetic experiments, is H1 + H5, H3 greater than H4 greater than H2A much greater than H2B. The preferential binding of the core histone H3, as compared to the other core histones, is discussed in light of recent data concerning histone-DNA interactions and nucleosome structure. The use of the ultraviolet light technique as a conformational probe to study chromatin is also discussed.     

ASF1 binds to a heterodimer of histones H3 and H4: a two-step mechanism for the assembly of the H3-H4 heterotetramer on DNA

The first step in the formation of the nucleosome is commonly assumed to be the deposition of a histone H3-H4 heterotetramer onto DNA. Antisilencing function 1 (ASF1) is a major histone H3-H4 chaperone that deposits histones H3 and H4 onto DNA. With a goal of understanding the mechanism of deposition of histones H3 and H4 onto DNA, we have determined the stoichiometry of the Asf1-H3-H4 complex. We have established that a single molecule of Asf1 binds to an H3-H4 heterodimer using gel filtration, amino acid, reversed-phase chromatography, and analytical ultracentrifugation analyses. We demonstrate that Asf1 blocks formation of the H3-H4 heterotetramer by a mechanism that likely involves occlusion of the H3-H3 dimerization interface.     

Preparation of high-specific-activity D-[3-3H]pantothenic acid

High-specific-activity D-[3-3H]pantothenic acid (5 Ci/mmol) was prepared from commercially available beta-[3-3H]alanine employing Escherichia coli strain DV1 (panD2 pan F1). This strain is defective in beta-alanine synthesis and pantothenate uptake, and under appropriate growth conditions converted 85 to 90% of the input beta-[3-3H]alanine to extracellular D-[3-3H]pantothenate. The radiolabeled vitamin was purified from the medium by thin-layer chromatography followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The overall yield of D-[3-3H]pantothenic acid was 30% and radiochemical purity was greater than 99%.     

Identification of a novel insulin-sensitive glycophospholipid from H35 hepatoma cells

This study identifies and partially characterizes an insulin-sensitive glycophospholipid in H35 hepatoma cells. The incorporation of [3H]glucosamine into cell lipids was investigated. A major labeled lipid was purified by sequential thin layer chromatography using first an acid followed by a basic solvent system. After hydrochloric acid hydrolysis and sugar analysis by thin layer chromatography, 80% of the radioactivity in the purified lipid was found to comigrate with glucosamine. H35 cells were prelabeled with [3H]glucosamine for either 4 or 24 h and treated with insulin causing a dose-dependent stimulation of turnover of the glycophospholipid which was detected within 1 min. The purified glycolipid was cleaved by nitrous acid deamination indicating that the glucosamine C-1 was linked to the lipid moiety through a glycosidic bond. [14C]Ethanolamine, [3H]inositol, and [3H]sorbitol were not incorporated into the purified glycolipid. The incorporation of various fatty acids into this glycolipid was also studied. [3H]Palmitate was found to be preferentially incorporated while myristic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid were either not incorporated or incorporated less than 10% of palmitate. The purified glycolipid labeled with [3H]palmitate was cleaved by treatment with phospholipase A2 but was resistant to mild alkali hydrolysis suggesting the presence of a 1-hexadecyl,2-palmitoyl-glyceryl moiety in the purified lipid. Treatment of labeled glycophospholipid with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Staphylococcus aureus generated a compound migrating as 1-alkyl,2-acyl-glycerol and a polar head group with a size in the range from 800 to 3500. These findings coupled with the nitrous acid deamination demonstrate that glucosamine was covalently linked through a phosphodiester bond to the glyceryl moiety of the purified glycolipid. These findings suggest that insulin acts on this glycophospholipid by stimulating an insulin-sensitive phospholipase C. This unique glycophospholipid may play an important role in insulin action by serving as precursor of insulin-generated mediators.     

Direct photoaffinity labeling of gizzard myosin with [3H]uridine diphosphate places Glu185 of the heavy chain at the active site

The active site of chicken gizzard myosin was labeled by direct photoaffinity labeling with [3H]UDP. [3H] UDP was stably trapped at the active site by addition of vanadate (Vi) and Co2+. The extraordinary stability of the myosin.Co2+.[3H]UDP.Vi complex (t1/2 greater than 5 days at 0 degrees C) allowed it to be purified free of extraneous [3H]UDP before irradiation began. Upon UV irradiation, greater than 60% of the trapped [3H]UDP was photoincorporated into the active site. Only the 200-kDa heavy chain was labeled, confirming earlier results (Maruta, H., and Korn, E. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 499-502) using [3H]UTP. Extensive tryptic digestion of photolabeled myosin subfragment 1 followed by high performance liquid chromatography separations and removal of nucleotide phosphates by treatment with alkaline phosphatase allowed two labeled peptides to be isolated. Sequencing of the labeled peptides and radioactive counting showed that Glu185 was the residue labeled. Since UDP is a "zero-length" cross-linker, Glu185 is located at the purine-binding pocket of the active site of smooth myosin and adjacent to the glycine-rich loop which binds the polyphosphate portion of ATP. This Glu residue is conserved in smooth and nonmuscle myosins and is the same residue identified previously by [3H]UTP photolabeling in Acanthamoeba myosin II (Atkinson, M. A., Robinson, E. A., Appella, E., and Korn, E. D. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 1844-1848).     

A gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptor complex of bovine cerebral cortex

The gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptor from bovine cerebral cortex was solubilized with sodium deoxycholate and purified by affinity chromatography on benzodiazepine-agarose and ion exchange chromatography. The benzodiazepine binding protein was enriched 1800-fold. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol showed the presence of two major bands of Mr = 57,000 and 53,000. [3H]Flunitrazepam, after UV irradiation, was incorporated irreversibly into both bands of the isolated protein. A high affinity binding site for gamma-aminobutyric acid was co-purified with the benzodiazepine binding site and the two sites were shown to reside on the same physical structure. The dissociation constants were 10 +/- 4 nM for [3H] flunitrazepam and 12 +/- 3 nM for the gamma-aminobutyric acid agonist [3H]muscimol. The maximum specific activity for [3H] muscimol binding was 4.3 nmol/mg of protein. The ratio of [3H]muscimol to [3H]flunitrazepam binding sites was between 3 and 4. Gel filtration and sucrose density gradient sedimentation studies gave a Stokes radius of 7.3 +/- 0.5 nm and a sedimentation coefficient of 11.1 +/- 0.3 S, respectively. The purified complex had a pharmacological profile that corresponds to the receptor specificity found in membranes and crude soluble extracts.     

Human spleen histone H1. Isolation and amino acid sequence of a main variant, H1b

The complete amino acid sequence of a main variant, H1b, of human spleen histone H1 was determined, following previous determinations of human spleen histones H2B, H2A, H3, and H4. High-performance liquid chromatography on C8 silica of the H1 fraction yielded the homogeneous H1b subfraction; this variant was estimated to account for 60% of the total of the four H1 variants. The sequence determination was performed with four main fragments, I to IV, obtained by limited chymotryptic digestion of H1b. Together with direct sequencing by automated Edman degradation of fragments II, III, and IV, fragment I, blocked at the N-terminal, and fragment IV, the C-terminal half the H1b molecule, were sequenced after further digestion with staphylococcal protease and others. The four fragments were aligned with three overlapping peptides each derived from chymotryptic partial fragments, I-II and I-II-III, and intact H1b. Carboxypeptidase digestion of intact H1b confirmed the C-terminal sequence of the molecule. Thus, the total sequence of H1b was completely determined; it consists of a total of 218 amino acid residues, has a molecular weight of 21,734 in the unmodified form, and is completely acetylated at the N-terminal serine residue and partially methylated at the lysine residue 25. This sequence is compared with two mammalian somatic H1 sequences.     

ADP-ribosylation of pancreatic histone H1 and of other histones

Incubation of pancreatic nuclei with high NAD concentrations resulted in increased ADP-ribosylation of histone H1. Interaction of [3H]ADP-ribosylated histone H1 with chromatin was significantly different from unmodified histone H1. The presence of a protein which is eluted at a lower salt concentration and which is ADP-ribosylated was also noticed. Pancreatic histones were isolated by column chromatography and their degree of ADP-ribosylation evaluated both by gel electrophoresis and by chromatography: histone H1 was the main acceptor while the core histones H3, H2B, and H2A were lightly labelled. Histones H1 and H1(0) have a differential binding to pancreatic chromatin and histone H1(0) is not ADP-ribosylated.     

Chemical synthesis of (24R)-24,25-dihydroxy[26,27-3H]vitamin D3 of high specific activity

Chemical synthesis of (24R)-24,25-dihydroxy-[26,27-3H]vitamin D3, and its 24-epimer has been devised that allows introduction of 3H at the terminal step of the synthesis. The epimeric mixture is derivatized as the tris(trimethylsilyl) ethers and resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography. The product has a specific activity of 178 Ci/mmol and is fully active in binding to the rat plasma vitamin D binding protein and in the elevation of serum calcium levels of vitamin D deficient rats. The synthesis begins with the readily available 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenic acid methyl ester and involves a Pummerer rearrangement, introduction of the delta 7, irradiation, and isolation of the 26,27-dinor-25-carboxylic acid methyl ester of vitamin D3. This compound is then treated with a Grignard reagent containing 3H (80 +/- 10 Ci/mmol).     

H1 histones from mammalian testes : The widespread occurrence of H1t

H1t is a testis-specific H1 histone variant recently isolated from the rat [13]. We have now identified H1t in testicular extracts from mice, rabbits, hamsters, bulls, and boars, thus establishing its widespread presence in animals. H1t from all species could be differentiated from standard somatic H1 forms by a variety of criteria. It was poorly extracted by 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), migrated more rapidly than standard H1 forms during electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and eluted more slowly than standard H1 species during chromatography over cross-linked polyacrylamide beads (Bio-Gel P100). Using an improved purification procedure, H1t was isolated from two new species, mouse and rabbit. In these species as with the rat, H1t is readily identified by its low lysine (ca 19 mol%) and high arginine (6–7 mol%) content as compared with that of standard somatic H1 forms (ca 25% lysine and 3% arginine).     

trans-[Ru(NO)(NH3)4(py)](BF4)3.H2O encapsulated in PLGA microparticles for delivery of nitric oxide to B16-F10 cells: Cytotoxicity and phototoxicity

The NO donor trans-[Ru(NO)(NH(3))(4)(py)](BF(4))(3).H(2)O (py=pyridine) was loaded into poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticles using the double emulsification technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering revealed that the particles are spherical in shape, have a diameter of 1600nm, and have low tendency to aggregate. The entrapment efficiency was 25%. SEM analysis of the melanoma cell B16-F10 in the presence of the microparticles containing the complex trans-[Ru(NO)(NH(3))(4)(py)](BF(4))(3).H(2)O (pyMP) showed that the microparticles were adhered to the cell surface after 2h of incubation. The complex with concentrations lower than 1x10(-4)M did not show toxicity in B16-F10 murine cells. The complex in solution is toxic at higher concentrations (>1x10(-3)M), with cell death attributed to NO release following the reduction of the complex. pyMP is not cytotoxic due to the lower bioavailability and availability of the entrapped complex to the medium and its reducing agents. However, pyMP is phototoxic upon light irradiation. The phototoxicity strongly suggests that cell death is due to NO release from trans-[Ru(NO)(NH(3))(4)(py)](3+). This work shows that pyMP can serve as a model for a drug delivery system carrying the NO donor trans-[Ru(NO)(NH(3))(4)(py)](BF(4))(3).H(2)O, which can release NO locally at the tumor cell by irradiation with light only.     

Purification of the thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor from human blood platelets

S-145 (5Z-7-(3-endo-phenylsulfonylamino-(2.2.1.)-bicyclohept -2-exo-yl) heptenoic acid) is a potent and selective antagonist for thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor. Using this compound as an immobilized ligand for affinity chromatography and [3H]S-145 as a radioligand, we have purified the thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor from the membranes of human blood platelets. The purification procedures consisted of solubilization of the receptor with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), affinity chromatographies on columns of S-145 affinity gel, wheat germ agglutinin agarose and red agarose, and repeated gel filtration high performance liquid chromatography on a TSK gel G-3000SW column. On the second gel filtration high performance liquid chromatography, the [3H]S-145 binding activity was eluted as a symmetrical peak which overlapped exactly with a peak of ultraviolet absorption at 280 nm. By these procedures, the receptor was purified about 8700-fold from the solubilized extract with a recovery of 6%. The final preparation showed a broad protein band at Mr 57,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and maximally bound 19.2 nmol of [3H]S-145/mg protein with a Kd of 29.8 nM. The [3H]S-145 binding to the purified receptor was specifically displaced by several thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 analogues.     

Infra-red laser irradiation enhances interleukin-1 receptor antagonist,increases 3H-thymidine incorporation and the release of [3H]arachidonic acid in human monocytes

The effect of infra-red laser irradiation has been experimented on various biological systems and particularly in human tissues, in vitro as well as in vivo. In order to examine the influence of laser irradiation on cells of the monocytic lineage we have irradiated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with an infra-red laser at a wavelength of 904 nm, at 2000 Hz frequency and 15 mW for 2 min. Here, we report that laser irradiation for 2 min. at different preincubation times (T = 0 and T = 30 min) enhances LPS (10 g/ml or PHA (10 g/ml, suboptimal concentration) -stimulated monocytes by modifying cell proliferation, as judged by [3H] thymidine incorporation. IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) along with an increased release of [3H] Arachidonic acid production, is also influenced by laser irradiated monocytes when treated for 2 min after 1 h incubation. IL-1RA production increased 4-5-fold after laser irradiation, while 3H-arachidonic acid incorporated from PMA-stimulated cellsased and the effect was significant at T = 0 and T = 30 min; while at T = 1 h the effect was negligible. These results may provide new information regarding the effect of laser irradiation on the immune system.     

Tetrahymena histone H3. Purification and two variant sequences

The H3 histone of the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis was obtained as described previously (Fusauchi, Y. & Iwai, K. (1983) J. Biochem. 93, 1487-1497) and further purified by Sephadex G-50 chromatography after reduction and carboxymethylation. The purified H3 was shown to comprise two variants, 75 mol% of H3(1) and 25 mol% of H3(2). The H3 mixture was directly sequenced by Edman degradation from the N-terminal through residue 104. Sequence determination was further performed with tryptic peptides and cyanogen bromide fragments derived from the H3 mixture. Thus, the total sequences of H3(1) and H3(2) were completely determined; both consist of a total of 135 amino acid residues (the molecular weights in the unmodified form are 15,336 for H3(1) and 15,424 for H3(2), and both are partially acetylated or methylated at the same six lysine residues to similar extents. The H3(1) and H3(2) sequences differ in 14 positions from each other, and in 17 and 21 positions from those of human spleen H3 (Ohe, Y. & Iwai, K. (1981) J. Biochem. 90, 1205-1211). The implications of these results for the structure-function relationship of this histone species and also for the phylogeny of protozoa are discussed.     

Human spleen histone H2B. Isolation and amino acid sequence.

The amino acid sequences of human histones have been investigated for studies of histone evolution. The whole histone was prepared from human spleen and was separated into 3 fractions, H4+H3+H2A, H2B, and H1, by our technique of CM-cellulose chromatography. The H2B fraction was further purified by Bio-Gel P-60 chromatography. For sequence determination, the H2B molecule was first split into 4 major fragments I to IV, by limited chymotryptic digestion at pH 5.0 and 15 degrees C, followed by Sephadex G-50 chromatography. Fragments I and III were then digested with trypsin, yielding 18 and 16 peptides, respectively, on column and paper chromatographies. Sequence analyses of these tryptic peptides, as well as chymotryptic fragments II and IV, showed no differences from the corresponding parts of calf thymus H2B sequence, making it possible to locate fragments I to IV at residues 1--40, 41--42, 43--121 and 122--125 of the total sequence. The only new findings were microheterogeneities at residues 39 (75% valine and 25% isoleucine) and 124 (70% serine and 30% alanine). The sequence of the most basic cluster at residues 27--24, -Lys-Lys-Arg-Lys-Arg-Ser-Arg-Lys-, was confirmed with a peptide obtained from fragment I by staphylococcal protease digestion. Thus, it is concluded that the H2B sequence of lower mammals was conserved during the evolutionary process leading to man.     

Adenosine diphosphate ribosylation of histone H1 by purified calf thymus polyadenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase

The mechanism of poly ADPR synthesis and the transfer of poly ADPR to histone H1 molecule by electrophoretically homogenous calf thymus poly ADPR polymerase containing DNA was examined. 1) An acid insoluble radioactive complex (I) was obtained after incubation of purified enzyme with [3H] NAD. The stability of (I) was examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The complex (I) was stable against acid, SDS, urea, DNase and RNase, but labile against pronase, trypsin, alkali and snake venom phosphodiesterase treatment. The molecular weight of (I) was about 130 000 daltons estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis. The radioactive products of successive alkali, venom phosphodiesterase and Pronase hydrolysis of (I) were PR-AMP and AMP. The mean chain length of poly ADPR of (I) was 20--30. These results suggest that the complex (I) is poly ADP-ribosylated poly ADPR polymerase. 2) Besides (I), a second radioactive peak (II) was observed when acid insoluble products obtained from an incubation mixture containing purified poly ADPR polymerase, [3H] NAD and purified histone H1 were analyzed on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of (II) was estimated to be about 23 000 daltons. The complex (II) is eluted like histone H1 on CM-cellulose columns and hydrolyzed by alkali, trypsin and snake venom phosphodiesterase but not by DNase, or RNase. The comples (II) was extracted selectively by 5 per cent perchloric acid or 5 per cent trichloroacetic acid from mixture of (I) and (II). The mean chain length of poly ADPR of complex (II) and 5--20; these results suggest that the complex (II) is poly ADP-ribosylated histone H1. 3) Results 1) and 2) indicate that purified DNA containing, thus DNA independent, poly ADPR polymerase catalyzes two different reactions, the ADPR transfer onto the enzyme itself and onto histone H1 and the elongation of ADPR chains. Dimeric forms of ADP-ribosylated histone H1 was not observed. Free poly ADPR was observed only when very small quantities of enzyme were used for incubation.     

Isolation of modified histone H3 from ultraviolet-irradiated deoxyribonucleoprotein by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the isolation of histone H3 and/or of thymine modified at the lysine residue histone H3 from uv-irradiated deoxyribonucleoprotein and DNA-protein complex is reported. The system utilizes a C8 Ultrasphere macroporous column and an acetonitrile "inverse or negative gradient."     

Localization of lysine residue in histone H3 forming the thymine-lysine cross-link after UV-irradiation of deoxyribonucleoprotein

A thymine-modified derivative of histone H3 formed as a result of thermal treatment of UV-irradiated (lambda = 254 nm) solution of deoxyribonucleoprotein from calf thymus at low ionic strength was isolated. The peptides obtained by tryptic hydrolysis of modified histone H3 were separated by high pressure liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequence of the peptide containing a lysine residue with covalently linked thymine was determined by the Edman method. It was found that Lys localized at the N-terminus of the histone H3 molecule interacts with DNA within the composition of the deoxyribonucleoprotein.     

Affinity chromatography of H+-translocating adenosine triphosphatase isolated by chloroform extraction of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores. Modification of binding affinity by divalent cations and activating anions.

1. ATPase isolated from Rhodospirillum rubrum by chloroform extraction and purified by gel filtration or affinity chromatography shows three bands (alpha, beta and gamma) upon electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate. 2. Ca2+-ATPase activity of the preparation is inhibited by aurovertin and efrapeptin but not by oligomycin. Activity may be inhibited by treatment with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan and subsequently restored by dithiothreitol. 3. The enzyme fails to reconstitute photophosphorylation in chromatophores depleted of ATPase by sonic irradiation. 4. Most of the active protein from the crude chloroform extract binds to an affinity chromatography column bearing an immobilised ADP analogue but not to a column bearing immobilised pyrophosphate. 5. In the absence of divalent cations, a component with a very high specific activity for Ca2+-ATPase is eluted from the column by 1.6 mM ATP. This protein migrates asa single band on 5% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and only possesses three subunits. At 12 mM ATP an inactive protein is eluted which does not run on acid or alkali polyacrylamide gels and shows a complex subunit structure. 6. ATPase preparations prepared by acetone extraction or by sonic irradiation of chromatophores may also be purified 10-fold by affinity chromatography. 7. The inclusion of 5 mM MgCl2 or CaCl2 during affinity chromatography of chloroform ATPase increases the capacity of the column for the enzyme and demands a higher eluting concentration of ATP. 8. When the enzyme is more than 90% inhibited by efrapeptin or 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan, the binding characteristics of the enzyme are not affected. 9. 10 mM Na2SO3, which greatly stimulates the Ca2+- and Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity of the enzyme and increases Ki (ADP) for Ca2+-ATPase from 50 to 850 micron, prevents binding to the affinity column. Binding may be restored by the addition of divalent cations. 10. Na2SO3 increases the rate of ATP hydrolysis, ATP-driven H+ translocation and ATP-driven transhydrogenase in chromatophores. 11. It is proposed that anions such as sulphite convert the chromatophore ATPase into a form which is a more efficient energy transducer.