Age-related analysis of EcoRI generated satellite DNA-containing chromatin of rat liver.

EcoRI digestion of nuclei and their subsequent lysis with EDTA solubilizes 45% and 36% of chromatin DNA from the liver of young (18 +/- 2 weeks) and old (100 +/- 5 weeks) rats, respectively. After hybridization with 185 bp rat satellite I DNA, these soluble fractions are found to be enriched in specific DNA sequences such as satellite DNA. Besides regular repeat pattern, a major portion of the satellite chromatin forms higher order organization. Digestion kinetics confirms condensation of satellite DNA-containing chromatin similar to that of bulk chromatin in old age. Furthermore, densitometric scanning of the slot-blot of soluble chromatin fractions reveals loss of satellite DNA in the old. However, an increase in the linker histone H1 and its subfraction H1zero in the satellite DNA-enriched fraction of chromatin from old rats suggests greater compaction. These results provide the first evidence that the satellite DNA-containing chromatin differs in the liver of young and old rats.