Chromatin structure of a hyperactive secretory protein gene (in Balbiani ring 2) of Chironomus

We examined the chromatin structure of a Balbiani ring (secretory protein gene) in the salivary glands of Chironomus larvae in its hyperactive state after stimulation with pilocarpine. For the inactive state of the gene an established tissue culture cell line, not expressing the gene, was used. Elec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The EMBO journal 1984-07, Vol.3 (7), p.1635-1641
Main Authors: Widmer, R.M, Lucchini, R, Lezzi, M, Meyer, B, Sogo, J.M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
animal breeding
animal genetics
Animals
arthropods
Biological and medical sciences
Chironomidae - genetics
Chironomus
Chromatin - ultrastructure
Chromatin. Chromosome
Diptera - genetics
DNA Restriction Enzymes
entomology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects
Genes
Larva
Micrococcal Nuclease
Microscopy, Electron
Molecular and cellular biology
Molecular genetics
Nucleosomes - ultrastructure
Pilocarpine - pharmacology
RNA Polymerase II - genetics
Transcription, Genetic
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Summary:We examined the chromatin structure of a Balbiani ring (secretory protein gene) in the salivary glands of Chironomus larvae in its hyperactive state after stimulation with pilocarpine. For the inactive state of the gene an established tissue culture cell line, not expressing the gene, was used. Electron microscopy showed an RNA polymerase density of approximately 38/microns. Micrococcal nuclease digestion of purified nuclei followed by DNA transfer and hybridization revealed a smear with no recognizable discrete DNA fragments. Without pilocarpine stimulation a faint nucleosomal repeat was superimposed upon the smear, and in tissue culture cells a clear nucleosomal repeat was revealed. The restriction enzyme XbaI, which has a 6‐bp recognition sequence, cut the gene in the hyperactive chromatin state, but not in its inactive conformation. The combined results are best explained by the absence of most of the nucleosomes in this hyperactive RNA polymerase II transcribed gene.
ISSN:0261-4189
1460-2075
DOI:10.1002/j.1460-2075.1984.tb02022.x