31P NMR of DNA in eukaryotic chromosomal complexes

DNA complexed with histones in soluble chromatin and with protamines in the heads of sperm has been studied by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Because of the large size of these nucleoprotein structures, methods of high resolution solid state NMR were employed. Proton decoupled ³¹P NMR spectra of these complexes in solution yield anisotropic chemical shift powder patterns, which indicate that the DNA is substantially immobilized by interactions with the proteins. Rapid rotation of these samples at the magic angle gives single line spectra with an isotropic chemical shift indistinguishable from DNA in the absence of proteins or that in mononucleosome core particles; this argues that packaging of the DNA by the proteins does not introduce major distortions in a predominant fraction of the phosphodiester linkages present.