Possible role of histones in the organization of rat liver thyroid hormone receptors in chromatin

The effects of histone subfractions on rat liver thyroid hormone receptor-DNA interaction were examined using an in-vitro DNA-cellulose binding assay. H1 histones bound to DNA showed reversible and potent inhibition of receptor-DNA binding without affecting receptor hormone binding. Poly-lysine, bovine serum albumin, ovalbumin and cytochrome c did not alter receptor-DNA binding. H1 histone subfractions (calf thymus lysine-rich histone (CTL)-1, CTL-2 and CTL-3) showed potent inhibition of receptor-DNA binding indistinguishable from each other. The quantity of H1 histone subfractions bound to DNA was the same. Although each subfraction has different functional properties, inhibition of receptor-DNA binding was a common feature of all the H1 histone subfractions, which is important for the non-random distribution of the receptor in chromatin. Binding of the receptor to core histones was investigated; it was found to bind to core histones more potently than to other proteins (H1 histone, ovalbumin and cytochrome c). Among core histone subfractions, H4 histone bound to the receptor most potently and is the candidate to be one of the acceptor sites of the receptor in chromatin.