Specific natural DNA-bound lipids in post-genome era. The lipid conception of chromatin organization.

Two pools of DNA-bound lipids were isolated from DNA supramolecular complex (SC-DNA): loosely bound (extracted with 35% ethanol) and tightly bound lipids (extracted after additional treatment DNase I). The compositions of the two lipid pools from different sources (rat thymus, liver, loach sperm, pigeon erythrocytes, Zajdel ascites hepatoma, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, sarcoma 37, Escherichia coli B and T2 phage) were studied. The possible functions of DNA-bound lipids, especially of cardiolipin and cholesterol, at the attachment of DNA loops to the nuclear matrix, in DNA replicon organization, replication and transcription are discussed.