[Reorganization of chromatin superstructure during marked changes in the rate of protein synthesis]

The changes in the structure and RNA-polymerase activity of rat liver cell chromatin after a single injection of cycloheximide (3 mg/kg of body mass) were studied. The cycloheximide-induced fluctuations in protein synthesis rates are concomitant with episodes of drastic changes in the chromatin structure. The reorganization of the general protein structure is associated with an increase or a decrease of the RNA-polymerase II activity. The data obtained suggest that the activation-inactivation of RNA-polymerase II in cell nuclei is due to reorganization of chromatin infrastructures--from higher levels of the electron-dense chromatin package to the unfolded nucleosomes of the transcriptionally active protein.