TY - JOUR
T1 - Polyelectrolyte theory and chromatin-DNA quaternary structure
T2 - Role of ionic strength and Hl histone
AU - Belmont, A.
AU - Nicolini, C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the NIH Grant CA20034. C. Nicolini would also like to acknowledge support by the Italian National Research Council (C.N.R.). This work is being applied by A. Belmont towards partial fulfillment of requirements for a doctorate degree.
PY - 1981/5/21
Y1 - 1981/5/21
N2 - Under the assumptions outlined in this paper and those of Manning's theory of polyelectrolyte screening the electrostatic interaction of histone 1 and DNA is examined and shown to lead to spontaneous bending of DNA. Critical variables for this bending are the ionic strength, the length of DNA interacting with each histone 1 molecule, and the fraction of DNA phosphate charges neutralized by the histone 1 molecule. This interaction is postulated as accounting for the observed folding of polynucleosomes into the "solenoid" regular structure. Wherever possible comparison is made between theoretical predictions and available experimental results. Finally, biological implications are briefly discussed.
AB - Under the assumptions outlined in this paper and those of Manning's theory of polyelectrolyte screening the electrostatic interaction of histone 1 and DNA is examined and shown to lead to spontaneous bending of DNA. Critical variables for this bending are the ionic strength, the length of DNA interacting with each histone 1 molecule, and the fraction of DNA phosphate charges neutralized by the histone 1 molecule. This interaction is postulated as accounting for the observed folding of polynucleosomes into the "solenoid" regular structure. Wherever possible comparison is made between theoretical predictions and available experimental results. Finally, biological implications are briefly discussed.
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U2 - 10.1016/0022-5193(81)90040-0
DO - 10.1016/0022-5193(81)90040-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 7311575
AN - SCOPUS:0019501864
SN - 0022-5193
VL - 90
SP - 169
EP - 179
JO - Journal of Theoretical Biology
JF - Journal of Theoretical Biology
IS - 2
ER -