[Effect of non-histone chromatin proteins on the transcription of globin genes]

Globin gene transcription was studied in vitro using chromatin of normal and Rauscher virus-transformed erythroid cells. For this purpose the reconstituted chromatin was obtained and used as a template for RNA synthesis. The RNA-transcript was then analysed for the presence of globin mRNA sequences. When chromatin was reconstituted using DNA from Rauscher-transformed erythroblasts and reticulocyte nonhistone proteins they enhanced transcription. Most of the globin gene activation was due to the nonhistone protein fraction eluted from hydroxylapatite in 0.05 M Na-phosphate and the RNA-transcript in this case contained the largest quantity of globin sequences.