Chromatin remodeling in Drosophila preblastodermic embryo extract

Chromatin is known to undergo extensive remodeling during nuclear reprogramming. However, the factors and mechanisms involved in this remodeling are still poorly understood and current experimental approaches to study it are not best suited for molecular and genetic analyses. Here we report on the use of Drosophila preblastodermic embryo extracts (DREX) in chromatin remodeling experiments. Our results show that incubation of somatic nuclei in DREX induces changes in chromatin organization similar to those associated with nuclear reprogramming, such as rapid binding of the germline specific linker histone dBigH1 variant to somatic chromatin, heterochromatin reorganization, changes in the epigenetic state of chromatin, and nuclear lamin disassembly. These results raise the possibility of using the powerful tools of Drosophila genetics for the analysis of chromatin changes associated with this essential process.