Histone acetylation in chromatin containing mouse satellite DNA

Histone acetylation in transcriptionally inactive chromatin has been studied with chromatin containing mouse satellite DNA. The latter was obtained by digestion of nuclei from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells with the restriction nuclease Bsp, which degrades main-band DNA but leaves satellite DNA intact. The enzyme-resistant material was separated by gel filtration. Satellite DNA amounted to 65% of the total DNA in this fraction. When the cells were grown in the presence of sodium n-butyrate to inhibit histone deacetylation, a few, if any, hyperacetylated forms of core histones were found in satellite chromatin. Conversely, the highest quantity of tetraacetylated H4 molecules was found in the fractions containing the most extensively degraded chromatin.