Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic separation of the proteins present in chromatin of Escherichia coli.

The polypeptides present in 35S-labelled chromatin prepared from Escherichia coli cells, and polypeptides present in the DNA and RNA complexes obtained by micrococcal nuclease digestion of the chromatin, were analysed by two-dimensional non-equilibrium polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Three hundred and thirty-five 35S-labelled polypeptides were detected in the chromatin whereas the DNA- and RNA-containing fractions of the micrococcal nuclease digest contained 126 and 183 polypeptides respectively. The major basic low-molecular-weight polypeptides were found in the DNA-containing fractions.

Mechanism of caffeine-induced inhibition of DNA synthesis in escherichia coli.

Caffeine inhibited DNA synthesis in toluene-treated Escherichia coli K12 strains to the same extent as in intact cells using the incorporation of [3H]thymidine as a measure of DNA synthesis. The inhibition was found to be competitive with ATP, and it was not influenced by the concentrations of deoxynucleoside triphosphates to any extent. When caffeine was added together with other DNA synthesis inhibitors such as novobiocin, nalidixic acid or actinomycin D, the inhibition in all cases was non-additive. It is suggested that caffeine inhibits one of the ATP-requiring enzymes in the DNA replication machinery, possibly DNA polymerase III or one of the DNA helicases.

Characterization of the DNA-cellulose-binding proteins from Escherichia coli K 12.

The various [35S]DNA-binding proteins present in lysates of Escherichia coli K 12 cells have been analyzed by means of two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The proteins were isolated by the DNA-cellulose technique and eluted by increasing concentrations of NaCl (0.15, 0.4, 0.6 and 2 M). Only 2% of the total 35S radioactivity in the lysate became bound to the DNA-cellulose column. A total of 237 polypeptides were detected and the distribution among the salt eluates were 85, 83, 40 and 29 polypeptides, respectively. The 40 major polypeptides with regard to concentrations were also identified from gels stained with a protein-specific reagent. The polypeptides could be divided into two main groups according to pI values, namely, acidic polypeptides (total number, 174) and basic polypeptides (total number, 63). The ratio between acidic and basic polypeptides decreased with increasing salt concentrations in the eluates. The majority of the basic polypeptides had molecular weights in the range 10 000-30 000, whereas the acidic polypeptides had molecular weights from 10 000 to 165 000.

Isolation, properties and nucleolytic degradation of chromatin from Escherichia coli.

A new procedure has been developed for the isolation of the chromosome complex, termed chromatin, from Escherichia coli. The bacteria were subjected to low ionic strength and T4 lysozyme, followed by detergent treatment analogous to that employed for the isolation of eukaryotic chromosomes. The chromatin was an insoluble viscous material which contained approximately equal amounts of DNA and RNA. The protein content of the chromatin was almost three times greater than the nucleic acid content. Electron microscopy revealed that the chromatin was highly condensed, having multiple loops and beaded structures with various diameters. The chromatin could be completely solubilized by both micrococcal nuclease and DNAase I, whereas RNAase had no effect. The initial degradation by micrococcal nuclease resulted in the production of a DNA-protein particle, sedimentation coefficient 10S, and an RNA-protein complex of 24S. Further degradation led to a decrease in sedimentation coefficient of the DNA-protein complex, but not of the RNA-protein particle. The peak size of the DNA of the initial DNA-protein particle was approximately 2400 bp. The action of micrococcal nuclease also resulted in the production of several discrete RNA species of various sizes. Several low molecular weight proteins (12000-27000) were found in the DNA-protein complex. The DNA-binding protein HU was present in the undigested chromatin; varying amounts of HU were, however, detected in the DNA-protein and RNA-protein particles.