Properties of the Complex between Histone H1 and Poly(ADP‐ribose) Synthesised in HeLa Cell Nuclei

Abstract

Preparations of H1 histone from HeLa cell nuclei incubated with [3H]NAD to permit poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis were electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gels. The incorporated radioactivity migrated as a sharply defined peak in association with a protein band which moved more slowly than H1, the major protein component. The following observations indicate that this complex is composed to 2 molecules of H1 and a single chain of poly(ADP-ribose) with 1 detectable covalent linkage of polymer to protein. The [14C]arginine/[3H]lysine ratio is identical in H1 histone and in the protein moiety of the complex. Protein is displaced from H1 histone to the complex during poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis. At least 90% of the protein in the complex (stainable protein and labeled protein) is derived from H1. Sedimentation rate studies indicate a MW of the complex about twice that of H1 histone. The average chain length of the polymer is 15 ADP-ribose units and there are 7-8 ADP-ribose units for each molecule of H1 histone in the complex. Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, which hydrolyses the polymer exoglycosidically from the AMP terminus, degrades the complex producing ADP-ribose and mono-ADP-ribosylated H1 histone which co-electrophoreses with unmodified H1. Although only 1 covalent linkage between protein and polymer was detected, the complex does not dissociate when electrophoresed on dodecylsulfate gels. Nor can the noncovalently linked H1 histone of the complex readily exchange with free H1. Complex formation does not occur when purified poly(ADP-ribose) and H1 are mixed.