Abstract
HISTONES and DNA make up the bulk of the chromosomal material and are presumably present in approximately a 1:1 ratio. Although it is known that histone fractions elicit specific antibodies1; a crude basic nuclear protein will bind to chromosomes2; antisera against lysine-rich histones will stain nuclei3; and purified histone antisera will bind to chromatin4, little is known about the distribution of histones in fixed preparations of chromosomes. We used the immuno-fluorescent technique to show that an antiserum prepared from the F3 histone fraction of human leukaemic lympho-blasts binds to both human and Drosophita salivary gland chromosomes5. We have now made antisera against the five major histone fractions of calf thymus and characterised them by microcomplement fixation6. Using selected antisera, we found that all except the F1 histone antiserum bind to acid-fixed Chinese hamster chromosomes to various degrees. Furthermore, in some preparations a pattern of transverse banding appears. We have also found that histones remaining on the chromosome after acid fixation are very firmly bound, which is necessary for the credibility of our observations.
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POTHIER, L., GALLAGHER, J., WRIGHT, C. et al. Histones in fixed cytological preparations of Chinese hamster chromosomes demonstrated by immunofluorescence. Nature 255, 350–352 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/255350a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/255350a0
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