[Use of bifunctional reagents in the study of histones topography in chromatin].

The ability of bifunctional reagents--diimidoesters of sebacinic acid and tetranitromethane--to cross-link the histones in rat thymus chromatin was studied. The histone polymers formed were extracted with 0,8 N H2SO4 and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results obtained suggest that in chromatin some histone fractions are localized in immediate proximity to each other. This phenomenon may probably account for the formation of chromatin structure and its functioning in the cell.