Abstract
Conformational changes in the chromatin of the brain were studied during the development of the rat (3-, 14-and 30-day old) using microccoccal nuclease (MCN) and DNase I. The rate and extent of digestion of chromatin by MCN is not altered during development. However, pre-incubation of slices of the cerebral cortex with ZnCl2 increases the initial rate of digestion by MCN by 2–3-fold, and also enhances the production of monomer DNA. The rate and extent of digestion of chromatin by DNase I is greater in an early stage of development. The initial rate of digestion by DNase I is stimulated by 3–4-fold after ZnCl2 treatment. These data show that changes occur in the conformation of chromatin, particularly in the internucleosomal region of brain cells as they pass from dividing to the non-dividing state.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradbury E. M., 1977. In: The Organization and Expression of Eukaryotic Genome (Bradbury E. M. & Javaherian K., eds.) pp. 83–98. Academic Press, New York.
Thomas J. O., 1977. In: International Review of Biochemistry (Clarke B. F. C., ed.) Vol. 17, Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids II, University Park Press, Baltimore, U.S.A.
Kornberg R. D., 1977. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 46: 931–954.
McGhee J. D. & Felsenfeld G., 1980. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 49: 1115–1156.
Lutter L. C., 1978. Nucl. Acids Res. 6: 41–56.
Prunell A. & Kornberg R. D., 1978. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 42: 103–108.
Garel A. & Axel R., 1976. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73: 3966–3970.
Weintraub H. & Groudine M., 1976. Science 93: 848–858.
Tanphaichitr N. & Chalkley R., 1976. Biochemistry 15: 1610–1614.
Ord M. G. & Stocken L. A., 1978. Biochem. J. 176: 615–618.
Supakar P. C. & Kanungo M. S., 1982. Biochem. Int. 4: 679–687.
Supakar P. C. & Kanungo M. S., 1982. Biochemistry Int. 5: 381–388.
Hewish D. R. & Burgoyne L. A., 1973. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 52: 504–510.
Panyim S., Bield D. & Chalkley R., 1973. J. Biol. Chem. 246: 4215.
Loening V. E., 1967. Biochem. J. 102: 251–257.
Maniatis T., Jeffrey A. & Van deSande H., 1975. Biochemistry 14: 3787–3794.
Sollner-Webb B. & Felsenfeld G., 1977. Cell 10: 537–547.
Candido E. P. M., Reeves R. & Davie J. R., 1978. Cell 14: 105–113.
Simpson R. T., 1978. Cell 13: 691–699.
Weisbrod S., Groudine M. & Weintraub H., 1980. Cell 19: 289–301.
Tanphaichitr N., Moore K. G., Granner D. K. & Chalkley R., 1976. J. Cell Biol. 69: 43–50.
Balhorn R., Chalkley R. & Granner D., 1972. Biochemistry 11: 1094–1098.
Paulson J. R. & Taylor S. S., 1982. J. Biol. Chem. 257: 6064–6072.
Romhanyi Y., Antoni S. F., Nikolics K., Meszaros G. & Farago A., 1982. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 701: 57–62.
Ajiro K., Borun T. W. & Cohen L. H., 1981. Biochemistry 20: 1445–1454.
Wilkinson D. J., Shinde B. G. & Hohmann P., 1982. J. Biol. Chem. 257: 1247–1252.
Dolby T. W., Belmount A., Borun T. W. & Nicolini C. J., 1981. Cell Biol. 89: 78–85.
Supakar P. C. & Kanungo M. S., 1981. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 100: 73–78.
Dimitriadis C. J. & Tata J. R., 1980. Biochem. J. 187: 467–477.
Mathis D. T., Oudet P., Wasylyk B. & Chambon P., 1978. Nucl. Acids Res. 5: 3523–3547.
Kanungo M. S., 1975. J. Theor. Biol. 53: 253–261.
Kanungo M. S., 1980. Biochemistry of Ageing, Academic Press, London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Supakar, P.C., Kanungo, M.S. Conformational changes in the chromatin of the brain of developing rats and its modulation by zinc chloride. Mol Biol Rep 9, 253–257 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00775357
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00775357