Abstract
Recently, it has been shown that natural and synthetic deoxynucleotide polymers can adopt a left-handed helical structure (termed Z-DNA) in appropriate conditions (see, for example, refs 1 and 2 and the references therein). In contrast to the more familiar right-handed B-DNA, Z-DNA is strongly immunogenic, and polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against Z-DNA have been elicited3–6. By using such antibodies, immunoreactivity for Z-DNA has been detected in the polytene chromosomes of two dipteran species7–9, in the macronucleus of a ciliated protozoon10, and in certain plant nuclei (cited in ref. 11). In view of the possible importance of Z-DNA as a genomic regulatory signal7, it would be highly desirable to know whether Z-DNA also occurs in mammals. We have therefore initiated an immunohistochemical study of various rat tissues by using three antisera specific for Z-DNA, and the peroxidase–antiperoxidase technique12 for visualization of tissue-bound antibodies. Here we demonstrate that the nuclei of many, but not all, types of rat cells exhibit Z-DNA immunoreactivity, suggesting that Z-DNA may exist naturally in mammalian chromatin.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Zimmerman, S. B. A. Rev. Biochem. 51, 395–427 (1982).
Neidle, S. Nature 302, 574 (1983).
Lafer, E. M., Möller, A., Nordheim, A., Stollar, B. D. & Rich, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 3546–3550 (1981).
Malfoy, B. & Leng, M. FEBS Lett. 132, 45–48 (1981).
Pohl, F. M., Thomae, R. & DiCapua, E. Nature 300, 545–546 (1982).
Möller, A. et al. J. biol. Chem. 257, 12081–12085 (1982).
Nordheim, A. et al. Nature 294, 417–422 (1981).
Lemeunier, F., Derbin, C., Malfoy, B., Leng, M. & Taillandier, E. Expl Cell Res. 141, 508–513 (1982).
Leng, M. et al. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 47 (in the press).
Lipps, H. J. et al. Cell 32, 435–441 (1983).
Nordheim, A. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 7729–7733 (1982).
Sternberger, L. A. Immunocytochemistry 2nd edn (Wiley, New York, 1979).
Malfoy, B., Hartmann, B. & Leng, M. Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 5659–5669 (1981).
Malfoy, B., Rousseau, N. & Leng, M. Biochemistry 21, 5463–5467 (1982).
Lang, M. C., Malfoy, B., Freund, A. M., Daune, M. & Leng, M. EMBO J. 1, 1149–1153 (1982).
Kuo, M. T. Expl Cell Res. 138, 221–229 (1982).
Germond, J. E., Hirt, B., Oudet, P., Gross-Bellard, M. & Chambon, P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 1843–1847 (1975).
Brahms, S. et al. J. molec. Biol. 162, 473–493 (1982).
Nordheim, A. et al. Cell 31, 309–318 (1982).
Arnott, S., Chandrasekaran, R., Birdsall, D. L., Leslie, A. G. W. & Ratliff, R. L. Nature 283, 743–745 (1990).
Wells, R. D. et al. J. biol. Chem. 257, 10166–10171 (1982).
Vorlíčkovà, M., Kypr, J., Štokrová, Š. & Šponar, J. Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 1071–1080 (1982).
Zimmer, C., Tymen, S., Marck, C. & Guschauer, W. Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 1081–1091 (1982).
Nishioka, Y. & Leder, P. J. biol. Chem. 255, 3691–3694 (1980).
Hamada, H. & Kakunaga, T. Nature 298, 396–398 (1982).
Hamada, H., Petrino, M. G. & Kakunaga, T. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 6465–6469 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morgenegg, G., Celio, M., Malfoy, B. et al. Z-DNA immunoreactivity in rat tissues. Nature 303, 540–543 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303540a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303540a0
This article is cited by
-
Regional differences in immunostainability of isolated metaphase chromosomes of Indian muntjac with anti-Z-DNA antibody
Chromosoma (1990)
-
Different reactivity of Z-DNA antibodies with human chromosomes modified by actinomycin D and 5-bromodeoxyuridine
Human Genetics (1987)
-
Nucleic acid reactive antibodies— specificities and applications
Journal of Biosciences (1985)
-
Ring-opened alkylated guanine is not repaired in Z-DNA
Nature (1984)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
