title: Serum amyloid P component is the major calcium-dependent specific DNA binding protein of the serum.
abstract: Serum amyloid P component (SAP), a member of the highly conserved pentraxin family of plasma proteins, was found to be the only protein in whole normal or acute phase serum which underwent specific calcium-dependent binding to either single or double-stranded DNA immobilised on gel. Isolated purified SAP also bound to long chromatin, to H1-stripped chromatin and to native DNA in solution at physiological ionic strength. Pure SAP which had been immobilised on gel, specifically bound nucleosome core particles from solution. These observations strongly suggest that SAP may bind to extracellular chromatin and DNA in vivo and that this may be its physiological role.
authors: Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London.
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Pepys
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Butler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009707:Nucleosomes; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D002118:Calcium