Transcription of mononucleosomal particles acetylated in the presence of n-butyrate.

Although a correlation between chemical acetylation of the amino-terminal tails of core histones and stimulation of RNA synthesis has been reported for nucleosomal core particles (Piñeiro et al. (1991) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 177:370), no differences in transcription are detected between acetylated and nonacetylated mononucleosomal particles obtained from HeLa cells in the presence and absence of n-butyrate. Apparently, the lysine residues modified in the presence of n-butyrate are not the same responsible for the observed acetylation-induced transcription. The acetylation obtained with n-butyrate might be significantly different from that present in transcriptionally active chromatin.