Influence of histone hyperacetylation on nucleosomal particles as visualized by electron microscopy

Recently, Bode et al. [J. Bode, M. Gómez-Lira, and H. Schröter (1983) Eur. J. Biochem. 130, 437-445] have observed that monomeric nucleosomal particles from butyrate-treated Namalva lymphoma cells display a distinct heterogeneity in their mobilities on a nondenaturing 4% polyacrylamide gel. They have proposed that histone hyperacetylation induces a conformational change in monomers that can be modulated by the presence of HMG 14/17. The electron microscopic analyses presented here support these proposals.