title: Chromosomal organization of Xenopus laevis oocyte and somatic 5S rRNA genes in vivo.
abstract: We describe the chromosomal organization of the major oocyte and somatic 5S RNA genes of Xenopus laevis in chromatin isolated from erythrocyte nuclei. Both major oocyte and somatic 5S DNA repeats are associated with nucleosomes; however, differences exist in the organization of chromatin over the oocyte and somatic 5S RNA genes. The repressed oocyte 5S RNA gene is protected from nuclease digestion by incorporation into a nucleosome, and the entire oocyte 5S DNA repeat is assembled into a loosely positioned array of nucleosomes. In contrast, the potentially active somatic 5S RNA gene is accessible to nuclease digestion, and the majority of somatic 5S RNA genes appear not to be incorporated into positioned nucleosomes. Evidence is presented supporting the stable association of transcription factors with the somatic 5S RNA genes. Histone H1 is shown to have a role both in determining the organization of nucleosomes over the oocyte 5S DNA repeat and in repressing transcription of the oocyte 5S RNA genes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chipev
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wolffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes; D004247:DNA; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA