Human Nuclear Matrix Contains a Protein Complex Which Can Specifically Recognize alpha-Satellite DNA in vitro

N. I. Enukashvily^*, I. B. Lobov, and O. I. Podgornaya

Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretskii pr. 4, St. Petersburg, 194064 Russia; fax: (812) 520-9703; E-mail: natella@ivm.stud.pu.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 6, 1998; Revision received December 10, 1998

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A nuclear matrix protein complex has been found which specifically binds to alpha-satellite DNA as revealed by gel shift assay. The complex contains three proteins--two DNA-binding proteins with molecular masses of 70 and 80 kD and a 58-kD protein which does not bind DNA but enhances the specificity of binding of the others to alpha-satellite DNA. The complex does not contain CENP-A, CENP-B, CENP-C, CENP-G, or lamins A/C and B.

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KEY WORDS: alphoid DNA, nuclear matrix, centromere, chromatin organization, DNA--protein interactions

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