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Differences among subfractions of H1 histone in their interactions with linear and superhelical DNA. Circular dichroism.

Interactions between subfractions of ox thymus H1 histone and either linear T7 DNA or superhelical PM2 DNA were studied by measuring the circular dichroism of H1:DNA complexes. H1 subfractions differed from one to the next in their effectiveness at distorting the circular dichroic spectrum of DNA by as much as 3- to 4-fold for both forms of DNA. The order of effectiveness of the subfractions was the same at all ionic strengths between 0.05 M and 0.25 M, but the degree of spectral distortion caused by any of the subfractions was sensitive to the salt concentration. At 0 M NaCl and above 3 M NaCl, there was little or no distortion of the spectrum of DNA by any subfraction; the maximum effectiveness for all of the subfractions was at 0.15 M to 0.2 M NaCl whether the DNA was linear or superhelical. Between 0 M and 0.15 M NaCl, the H1 subfractions in free solution underwent a conformational change from a substantially unfolded state to one that is presumably the native state. This was revealed by circular dichroism. In part, this folding of the protein molecules must account for the effect of salt on the ability of H1 to distort the circular dichroism of DNA when the two macromolecules are brought together in complex formation. The distortion of the circular dichroism of DNA by H1:DNA complex formation is thought to be due to side-by-side aggregation of fibers in an asymmetrically ordered array. Apparently, the different H1 subfractions induce formation of H1:DNA complexes that differ in degree of orderliness or in a more complicated geometric parameter of the array, and this is true for superhelical as well as linear DNA.

Animals↗

Microdevice-based measurements of diffusion and dispersion in cross-linked and linear polyacrylamide DNA sequencing gels.

We use microfabricated gel electrophoresis devices incorporating integrated on-chip electrodes, heaters, and temperature sensors to measure diffusion and dispersion of single-stranded DNA fragments in cross-linked and uncross-linked polyacrylamide gels. The microdevice format allows a complete set of diffusion and dispersion data to be collected in approximately one hour. These results are compared with corresponding data obtained in a macroscale DNA sequencer, and the effects of gel composition and initiation chemistry are explored. Although the diffusion and dispersion data exhibit similar qualitative trends both on chip and on the macroscale, the magnitudes of the coefficients measured in the microdevice are somewhat higher. This discrepancy is likely due to altered polymerization kinetics arising as a consequence of using a UV-initiated polymerization chemistry to cast the on-chip gels as opposed to the standard chemical polymerization employed on the macroscale. We also find that reductions in the magnitudes of diffusion and dispersion coefficients are achieved at higher polymer concentrations and at operating temperatures in the vicinity of 50 degrees C. Finally, we find that cross-linked polyacrylamide gels yield significantly lower diffusion and dispersion coefficients than linear polyacrylamide. These findings can be used to identify rational strategies to improve separation performance in both micro- and macroscale gel electrophoresis systems.

Cross-Linking Reagents↗

Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping: a physical mapping strategy for plant species with large complex genomes.

The chromatin in interphase nuclei is much less condensed than are metaphase chromosomes, making the resolving power of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) two orders of magnitude higher in interphase nuclei than on metaphase chromosomes. In mammalian species it has been demonstrated that within a certain range the interphase distance between two FISH sites can be used to estimate the linear DNA distance between the two probes. The interphase mapping strategy has never been applied in plant species, mainly because of the low sensitivity of the FISH technique on plant chromosomes. Using a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera system, we demonstrate that DNA probes in the 4 to 8 kb range can be detected on both metaphase and interphase chromosomes in maize. DNA probes pA1-Lc and pSh2.5.SstISalI, which contain the maize loci a1 and sh2, respectively, and are separated by 140 kb, completely overlapped on metaphase chromosomes. However, when the two probes were mapped in interphase nuclei, the FISH signals were well separated from each other in 86% of the FISH sites analyzed. The average interphase distance between the two probes was 0.50 micron. This result suggests that the resolving power of interphase FISH mapping in plant species can be as little as 100 kb. We also mapped the interphase locations of another pair of probes, ksu3/4 and ksu16, which span the Rp1 complex controlling rust resistance of maize. Probes ksu3/4 and ksu16 were mapped genetically approximately 4 cM apart and their FISH signals were also overlapped on metaphase chromosomes. These two probes were separated by an average of 2.32 microns in interphase nuclei. The possibility of estimating the linear DNA distance between ksu3/4 and ksu16 is discussed.

Cell Nucleus↗

Electric light scattering from single-stranded DNA in linear polyacrylamide solutions.

The electric light scattering (ELS) of ssDNA (calf thymus, 10 kbp, 55 micrograms/mL) in denaturing polyacrylamide (PAA) solutions was studied as a function of applied sinusoidal electric field and polymer concentration. Electric fields of strengths up to 300 V/cm and of frequencies between 100 and 5000 Hz were applied. It was found that the ELS effect increases with the field strength and decreases at high frequencies. The dependence of the ELS effect of ssDNA on polymer concentration passes through a maximum at 1% PAA. The relaxation times of decay of the ELS effect increase with increasing polymer concentrations. It was demonstrated that ELS is a useful method for investigation of ssDNA behavior in the course of pulse-field electrophoresis in polymer solutions.

Acrylic Resins↗

The form of chromosomal DNA molecules in bacterial cells.

The circular concept of the bacterial chromosome was based initially on experiments involving conjugation mapping and autoradiographic imaging of DNA. This view was then supported by DNA fragment mapping, genome sequencing, and the analysis of linear DNA produced by a single cleavage of chromosomal DNA. A circular chromosome is also indicated by the existence of a mechanism for segregating dimeric chromosomes produced by recombination and the replication of DNA on both sides of the replication terminus. The evidence for circularity is reviewed here and found to be compatible with either a circular or a linear chromosomal DNA molecule. Moving pictures of ethidium-stained DNA revealed most chromosomal DNA as a rosette form with loops emanating from a dense node or as a network of strands lacking a node. This description applies to Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pyrococcus endeavorii, Vibrio cholerae, and both the linear-mapping chromosome of Streptomyces lividans and its circular-mapping derivative. Networks without nodes were found for two linear-mapping Borrelia species. For the E. coli chromosome, open-form circles of various sizes were found only at extremely low frequency. The node of the rosette was reduced in size or eliminated in recA mutants, as well as by treatment with either ribonuclease, topoisomerase IV, 1 M NaCl, or lysozyme. A model is presented for the bacterial chromosome in which the DNA is compacted by many points of strand association (including recombination junctions, tangles and knots) created during the repair of DNA damage that occurs many times in each chromosome replication cycle.

Bacteria↗

In vitro protein-primed initiation of pneumococcal phage Cp-1 DNA replication occurs at the third 3' nucleotide of the linear template: a stepwise sliding-back mechanism.

Phage Cp-1 from Streptoccocus pneumoniae makes use of a protein-priming mechanism to start replication of its linear DNA: the first reaction consists of the addition of 5' dAMP to a molecule of the primer protein, an initiation event occurring at both DNA ends. After elongation of the initiation complex, the primer protein remains linked to the 5' end of the nascent DNA chain, and is subsequently referred to as terminal protein (TP). In this paper, using DNA-free extracts from Cp-1-infected S. pneumoniae, we provide evidence that the formation of the covalent complex TP-dAMP is a template-instructed reaction and that ssDNA molecules can serve as templates for TP-primed replication. A mutational analysis of the 3' terminal nucleotides of Cp-1 DNA reveals that a precise DNA sequence is required for efficient template recognition, and that in vitro initiation of Cp-1 DNA replication is directed by the third nucleotide of the template. However, the two terminal nucleotides are recovered during the first steps of elongation. A new variant of the sliding-back mechanism for protein-primed initiation, firstly described for Bacillus subtilis phage phi29, is proposed to account for the maintenance of Cp-1 DNA ends. The results presented here reinforce the hypothesis that sliding-back must be a common feature in all genomes that use protein-priming to initiate replication.

Bacillus Phages↗

Dual mode of interaction of DNA polymerase epsilon with proliferating cell nuclear antigen in primer binding and DNA synthesis.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen can interact with DNA polymerase epsilon on linear DNA templates, even in the absence of other auxiliary factors (replication factor C, replication protein A), and thereby stimulate its primer recognition and DNA synthesis. Using four characterized mutants of proliferating cell nuclear antigen containing three or four alanine residue substitutions on the C-terminal side and the back side of the trimer, we have tested the kinetics of primer binding and nucleotide incorporation by DNA polymerase epsilon in different assays. In contrast with what has been found in interaction studies between DNA polymerase delta and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, our data suggested that stimulation of DNA polymerase epsilon primer binding involves interactions with both the C-terminal side and the back side of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. However, for stimulation of DNA polymerase epsilon DNA synthesis, exclusively the C-terminal side appears to be sufficient. The significance of this dual interaction is discussed with reference to the physiological roles of DNA polymerase epsilon and its interaction with the clamp proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and purification of plasmids from Bacteroides fragilis using rubidium trichloroacetate density gradient centrifugation.

A rapid and easy final purification method is described for the isolation of plasmids from B. fragilis. Using RbTCA density gradient centrifugation in an airfuge ultracentrifuge ccc plasmid DNA can be separated from RNA, residual chromosomal DNA, linear and oc plasmid DNA. Pure ccc plasmid DNA is obtained from cultures of between 1 ml and 2 l in less than one day.

Bacteroides fragilis↗

Macromolecular structure of nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome.

DNA preparations from nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) of Galleria mellonella L. (GmL) were fractionated in high ionic strength neutral sucrose gradient. This procedure allowed a separation of supercoiled infectious DNA molecules with contour length of 48--52 microns from infectious open ring DNA molecule, and noninfectious linear DNA molecules of the same size. In addition a heterogeneity of supercoiled DNA molecules was detected. Covalently closed DNA molecules did not contain protein or ribonucleotide ligands which could be digested by pronase or pancreatic RNase treatment. It is concluded from data on the infectivity of different molecular forms of DNA and reassociation kinetics studies, that the genome of GmL NPV is a unique ring nucleotide sequence with a molecular weight of about 90--100 X 10(6).

Animals↗

DNA-dependent ATPase II from Bacillus cereus.

A new DNA-dependent ATPase been purified close to homogeneity from soluble extracts of Bacillus cereus. This enzyme, called ATPase II catalyses the hydrolysis of ATP in the presence of Mg2+ or Ca2+ and DNA. Single-stranded linear DNA is a cofactor about 3-fold more effective than double-stranded DNA. The enzyme catalyses the strand separation of duplex DNA in the presence of ATP. However, at concentrations higher than 0.5 mM, phosphohydrolysis can occur without concomitant DNA unwinding. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 84 000 according to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. ATPase II is inhibited by adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)-diphosphate, actinomycin D and ethidium bromide, but not by nalidixic acid.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

RecA protein-promoted homologous pairing and strand exchange between intact and partially single-stranded duplex DNA.

In the pairing reaction between circular gapped and fully duplex DNA, RecA protein first polymerizes on the gapped DNA to form a nucleoprotein filament. Conditions that removed the formation of secondary structure in the gapped DNA, such as addition of Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein or preincubation in 1 mM-MgCl2, optimized the binding of RecA protein and increased the formation of joint molecules. The gapped duplex formed stable joints with fully duplex DNA that had a 5' or 3' terminus complementary to the single-stranded region of the gapped molecule. However, the joints formed had distinct properties and structures depending on whether the complementary terminus was at the 5' or 3' end. Pairing between gapped DNA and fully duplex linear DNA with a 3' complementary terminus resulted in strand displacement, symmetric strand exchange and formation of complete strand exchange products. By contrast, pairing between gapped and fully duplex DNA with a 5' complementary terminus produced a joint that was restricted to the gapped region; there was no strand displacement or symmetric strand exchange. The joint formed in the latter reaction was likely a three-stranded intermediate rather than a heteroduplex with the classical Watson-Crick structure. We conclude that, as in the three-strand reaction, the process of strand exchange in the four-strand reaction is polar and progresses in a 5' to 3' direction with respect to the initiating strand. The present study provides further evidence that in both three-strand and four-strand systems the pairing and strand exchange reactions share a common mechanism.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗