Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026

10:09
Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark
Published on: January 26, 2018
A development-specific histone H3 localizes to the developing macronucleus of Euplotes.
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA.
Summary
A variant histone H3(P) protein is highly expressed during macronuclear development in Euplotes crassus. This suggests significant changes in nucleosome composition and chromatin structure are crucial for programmed DNA rearrangement.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Euplotes crassus undergoes programmed DNA rearrangement during macronuclear development.
- A gene, H3(P), is known to be expressed during sexual reproduction and encodes a variant histone H3 protein.
Purpose of the Study:
- To generate an antiserum against the H3(P) protein.
- To investigate the expression and localization of H3(P) during macronuclear development.
- To explore changes in nucleosome composition during this process.
Main Methods:
- Antiserum generation against H3(P) protein.
- Immunolocalization studies using the antiserum.
- Analysis of nuclear stages during macronuclear development.
Main Results:
- H3(P) protein shows maximal expression during the polytene chromosome stage.
- H3(P) is localized specifically to the developing macronucleus.
- Evidence suggests the presence of at least one other variant histone in the developing macronucleus.
Conclusions:
- Significant changes in nucleosome composition occur during macronuclear development.
- Altered chromatin structure likely plays a role in the DNA rearrangement processes.
- H3(P) is a key component of the chromatin undergoing dynamic changes.
Related Concept Videos
Histone Variants at the Centromere
Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...
Inheritance of Chromatin Structures
Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...
Euchromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
Heterochromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...
Euchromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
The Nucleosome Core Particle
Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...

