Folding of single-stranded DNA on the histone octamer.
A complex between the single-stranded DNA of the bacteriophage M13 and the histone octamer was analyzed by electron microscopy, low-angle X-ray diffraction and nuclease analysis. The morphology and the diffraction pattern of the complex strongly resemble those of the nucleosome. These results, as well as the finding of a protected DNA fragment about 100 nucleotides long following single-stranded DNA specific nuclease digestion, indicate that 'a nucleosome-like' complex can be formed between single-stranded DNA and the histone octamer. Competition experiments suggest that under physiological conditions the histone octamer is transferred from single- to double-stranded DNA.
D002843:Chromatin / Q000032:analysis; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006657:Histones; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002843:Chromatin; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D006657:Histones