Transcriptional activation of Xenopus class III genes in chromatin isolated from sperm and somatic nuclei.

Xenopus sperm chromatin lacks class III transcription complexes and somatic histone H1. Inactive class III genes in sperm chromatin are easily programmed with transcription complexes de novo and transcribed in Xenopus oocyte nuclear extract. In contrast, repressed class III genes in somatic chromatin are not transcribed in the oocyte nuclear extract. Class III genes that are initially inactive or repressed in both types of chromatin can be efficiently transcribed in a cell free preparation of Xenopus eggs. Chromatin mediated repression of class III genes in somatic nuclei is reversible in Xenopus egg extract, but not in the oocyte nuclear extract. Any inhibition of transcription attributed to chromatin assembly onto a gene, will therefore depend on the extract in which transcription is assayed.