The presence of serine protease in pea embryo chromatin

1. It has been shown that chromatin from pea seedlings contains a proteolytic enzyme, similar to that of mammalian chromatin. 2. The protease was isolated from chromatin by acid extraction and partly characterized. It is a serine-type enzyme, sensitive to DFP, of low mol. wt. (about 18 000 - 20 000), with optimum pH at about 8 with [3H]N-acetylated histone as a substrate. 3. In chromatin complex, histones fl and f3 are preferentially degraded.