Disappearance of ubiquitinated histone H2A during chromatin condensation in TGF beta 1-induced apoptosis

Chromatin condensation during apoptosis induced by TGF beta 1 in T24 glioma and 476-16 trigeminal neurinoma (Schwannoma) cells was examined and compared with that occurring during mitosis. Apoptotic (round-up) cells were selectively detached from the culture surface by a mechanical shock. Their histones were analysed in comparison with those obtained from TGF beta 1-treated cells remaining attached to the culture surface, from control cells not treated with TGF beta 1 and from metaphase cells. While mitosis-specific hyperphosphorylation of histones H1 and phosphorylation of histone H3 was not observed in apoptotic cells, apoptotic chromatin lacked ubiquitinated histone H2A (histone uH2A) as did metaphase chromosomes. The cellular level of free ubiquitin and the overall pattern of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins were, however, found to remain unaltered in apoptotic cells, suggesting that the ubiquitin conjugating machinery for histone H2A may be specifically perturbed during the chromatin condensation occurring in apoptosis.