Effect of protein-bound RNA associated with chick embryo chromatin on template specificity of the chromatin

The possible function of the protein-bound RNA in chick embryo chromatin is examined by experiments involving chromatin reconstitution and DNA-RNA hybridization of the template products. In the presence of this RNA, functional chromatin may be reconstructed from the dissociated chromatin by gradient dialysis from high to low salt in the presence of urea. RNA's, synthesized in vitro using such a reconstituted chromatin as a template, resemble the native RNA isolated from nuclei for their ability to form specific molecular hybrids with DNA. Degradation of this RNA by zinc nitrate resulted in a diminishing of this specific reassociation. RNA's primed by zinc-treated chromatin differ from either nuclear RNA or the original chromatin-primed RNA. Although protein-bound RNA is found in native chromatin, the origin of its coupling (protein to RNA) is unknown at the present time.