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E I Kostyleva

Publications and source records attributed to E I Kostyleva.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

[Chromatin compactification using a model system of DNA-protein complexes].

Conformational peculiarities of DNA complexes with histones of the H1 family have been studied by the method of circular dichroism (CD). The H1 histones were isolated from spermatozoa of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius, starfish Aphelasterias japonica, and bivalve mollusc Chlamis islandicus and also from the rat thymus. It is shown that these sperm-specific histones do not compact DNA in low ionic strength solution. At physiologic conditions H1 from the sea urchin and starfish sperms compact DNA more intensively than other histones. The H1 from rat thymus has a minimum ability to compact DNA. This histone does not change the structure of DNA double helix. It was supposed that it could be associated with interactions of this histone with DNA in the major groove of its helix. At the same time sperm-specific H1 can interact with DNA not only in the major groove but also in the minor groove, and this induces changes in DNA structure. This DNA-protein interaction is specific for the sperm chromatin and may support the supercompact organization of the sperm chromatin.

Animals↗

[An immunohistochemical study of the expression of transcription factor Oct3/4 in mouse spermatogenesis].

The expression of POU-domain transcription factor Oct3/4 in the testis of adult mice has been studied using indirect immunofluorescence with highly specific antibodies. The protein is shown to be expressed in germ cells of seminiferous epithelium in a stage specific manner. The protein synthesis is initiated in mid-pachytene spermatocytes, increases to reach its peak during meiotic division. The Oct3/4 level remains augmented in early spermatids, but gradually declines during their further developmental advancement. These findings imply that Oct3/4 may have a regulatory function providing for the control of meiosis and/or terminal differentiation of spermatogenic cells.

Animals↗

Human male infertility may be due to a decrease of the protamine P2 content in sperm chromatin.

Basic chromosomal proteins were extracted from the sperm of fertile and infertile human males. The relative proportions of protamine 1, 2, and 3 were determined by scanning microdensitometry following electrophoresis of total protamine in polyacrylamide gels. The findings were as follows: (1) The proportion of protamine P(2 + 3) in sperm obtained from infertile males was lower than that in fertile males. (2) Protamine P(2 + 3) in infertile human males showed reduced affinity to DNA. The possibility that some cases of human male infertility may be due to mutation within the protamine P2 gene is discussed.

Chromatin↗

[Human male sterility can be caused by mutations in the protamine P2 gene].

The sperm of fertile and infertile human males was treated with 0.25 n. HCl or 1% CTAB. Relative proportions of various protamine fractions in the obtained extracts were determined by scanning microdensitometry following electrophoresis of the total protamine in polyacrilamide gels. The findings were as follow. 1. The share of protamine P(2 + 3) in the sperm obtained from infertile males was lower than that of fertile males. 2. Protamine P2 in infertile males has a reduced affinity to DNA. It is suggested that in some cases the human male infertility may be due to some mutations within the P2 gene.

Cell Count↗

Structural differences between histone H1 molecules from sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) sperm and calf thymus: hydrodynamic and c.d. studies.

Comparative sedimentation, diffusion and circular dichroism (c.d.) measurements have been performed on two histones H1 from sperm of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius (H1S) and from calf thymus (H1T), at a high salt concentration of M NaCl. Both the Stokes radius and the frictional ratio derived from the hydrodynamic parameters were found to be somewhat smaller for H1S than the corresponding values for H1T. In view of the considerably higher molar mass of H1S compared with that of H1T, this result indicates that H+S in 2 M NaCl has a more compact conformation than H1T, probably due to a higher degree of secondary structure in the flanking domains of H1S. The c.d. measurements likewise show that H1S has a higher content of ordered structures than H1T. Model considerations indicate that the C-terminal tail of H1S is the main candidate for accommodation of these additional secondary structure regions.

Animals↗

[HMG1 domains: the victims of circumstance].

The method of circular dichroism (CD) was used to compare DNA behavior during its interaction with linker histone H1 and with non-histone chromosomal protein HMG1 at different ionic strength and at different protein content in the system. The role of negatively charged C-terminal fragment of HMG1 was analyzed using recombinant protein HMG1-(A + B), which lacks the C terminal amino acid sequence. The psi-type CD spectra were common for DNA interaction with histone H1, but no spectra of this type were observed in HMG1-DNA systems even at high ionic strength. The CD spectrum of the truncated recombinant protein at high salt concentration somewhat resembled the psi-type spectrum. Two very intense positive bands were located near 215 nm and near 273 nm, and the whole CD spectrum was positive. The role of C-terminal tail of HMG1 in formation of the ordered DNA-protein complexes is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[The effect of Ca2+ ions on DNA compaction in the complex with non-histone chromosomal protein HMGB1].

The analysis of absorption and circular dichroism spectra in UV and IR regions showed that Ca2+ ions interact both with the phosphate groups of DNA and with the HMGB1 protein. Not only negatively charged C-terminal part of the protein molecule participates in interaction with metal ions but also its DNA-binding domains. The latter fact leads to the change of the mode of protein-DNA interaction. The presence of Ca2+ ions prevents formation of ordered supramolecular structures, specific for the HMGB1-DNA complexes, though promotes intermolecular aggregation. The structure of the complexes between DNA and the protein HMGB1 lacking C-terminal tail appears to be the most sensitive to the presence of Ca2+ ions. The data obtained allow to conclude that Ca2+ ions do not play a structural role in the HMGB1/DNA complexes and the presence of these ions is not necessary to DNA compaction in such systems.

Calcium↗

[The structure of the complexes of DNA with non-histone chromosomal protein HMGB1 in the presence of manganese ions].

The complexes of DNA - HMGB1 protein - manganese ions have been studied using circular dichroism (CD) technique. It was shown that in such three-component system the interactions of both the protein and metal ions with DNA differ from those in two-component complexes. The manganese ions do not affect the CD spectrum of free HMGB1 protein. However, Mn2+ ions induce considerable changes in the CD spectrum of free DNA in the spectral range of 260-290 nm. The presence of Mn2+ ions prevents formation of the ordered supramolecular structures specific for the HMGB1-DNA complexes. The interaction of manganese ions with DNA has a marked influence on the local DNA structure changing the properties of protein-binding sites. This results in the serious decrease in cooperativity of the DNA-protein binding. Such changes in the mode of the DNA-protein interactions occur at concentrations as small as 0.01 mM Mn2+. Moreover, the changes in local DNA structure induced by manganese ions promote the appearance of new HMGB1 binding sites on the DNA double helix. At the same time interactions with HMGB1 protein induce alterations in the structure of the DNA double helix which increase with a growth of the protein/DNA ratio. These alterations make the DNA/protein complex especially sensitive to manganese ions. Under these conditions the Mn2+ ions strongly affect the DNA structure that reflects in abrupt changes of the CD spectra of DNA in the complex in the range of 260-290 nm. Thus, structural changes of the DNA double helix in the three-component DNA-HMGB1-Mn2+ complexes come as a result of the combined and interdependent interactions of DNA with Mn2+ ions and the molecules of HMGB1.

Circular Dichroism↗

[Features of the chromatin structure of erythrocytes depending on the properties of lysine-rich histones].

A comparative analysis of chromatin from erythrocytes of frog, trout and hen has been performed in correlation with properties of the nucleosomal linker histones of H1 family. In the nucleosomes from frog erythrocytes the linker histone is represented by H1(0)-like variant with amino acid sequence highly homologous to that of the hen histone H5, however the arginine content in the proteins differs (3 mol% in the frog erythrocyte H1 and 12 mol% in the hen erythrocyte H5). On the other hand histone H5 from trout being significantly different in the primary structure from the hen histone H5 is at the same time rich in arginine (9 mol%). The nucleosomal repeat length, estimated by using agarose gel electrophoresis is 201, 213 and 213 b.p. in erythrocyte chromatin from frog, trout and hen, correspondingly. Chromatin packing density in fixed nuclei from erythrocytes of frog, trout and hen as determined using cytophotometric measurements is 0.144, 0.444 and 530 pg/mu 3, correspondingly. The data support the previously made suggestion that the increase in arginine content in nucleosomal linker proteins is connected with the increase of chromatin compaction in the nuclei and elongation of the linker in the nucleosome.

Animals↗

[The role of H2B histones from the sea urchin sperm in the formation of supranucleosome structures].

The structural role of histone H2B from sea urchin sperm (H2Bsp) has been examined in experiments on reconstitution of chromatin from DNA and core histones taken in three variants: (1) four core histones from sea urchin sperm; (2) four core histones from calf thymus; (3) (H3, H4, H2A) from calf thymus and H2Bsp. It is shown that H2Bsp when present in reconstituted chromatin induces its aggregation. Fidelity of the reconstitution of nucleosomes has been tested using DNase I probe, one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis and electron microscopy. The reconstitutes that contain H2Bsp appear under electron microscope mainly as regular closely spaced large granules, about 450 A in diameter, which are very similar to the granules found in "native" sea urchin sperm chromatin. The reconstitutes formed by four core histones from calf thymus appear as randomly arranged particles, about 100 A in diameter. We conclude that histone H2Bsp participates in interactions between nucleosomes and is involved in the formation of the condensed supranucleosomal structure in sea urchin sperm chromatin.

Animals↗