Changes in chromatin structure due to hypomethylation induced with 5-azacytidine or DL-ethionine

Changes in chromatin structure of the HRS60 family of repetitive sequences in tobacco DNA were studied after hypomethylation induced with 5-azacytidine or DL-ethionine. The TaqI site in the HRS60 units lies in nucleosomal core regions and its cleavage is enhanced in the hypomethylated chromatin. In contrast, the cleavage of the Sau3AI site located in linker DNA does not depend on the level of methylation of DNA.