Histone hyperacetylation in the coding region of chromatin undergoing transcription in SV40 minichromosomes is a dynamic process regulated directly by the presence of RNA polymerase II.

SV40 chromosomes undergoing transcription operationally defined by the presence of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) were immune-selected with antibody to RNAPII and subjected to secondary chromatin immunoprecipitation with antibodies to hyperacetylated or unacetylated H4 or H3. Immune selection fragmentation and immunoprecipitation was used to determine the hyperacetylation status of histones independent of the location of the RNAPII and Re chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to determine their hyperacetylation status when associated with RNAPII. While hyperacetylated H4 and H3 were found in the coding regions regardless of the location of RNAPII, unacetylated H4 and H3 were found only at sites lacking RNAPII. The absence of unacetylated H4 and H3 at sites containing RNAPII was correlated with the specific association of the histone acetyl transferase p300 with the RNAPII. In contrast, the presence of unacetylated H4 and H3 at sites lacking RNAPII was shown to result from the action of a histone deacetylase based upon the effects of the inhibitor sodium butyrate. These results suggest that the extent of hyperacetylation of H4 and H3 during transcription alternates between hyperacetylation directed by an RNAPII associated histone acetyl transferase and deacetylation directed by a histone deacetylase at other sites.