High-performance capillary electrophoresis of core histones and their acetylated modified derivatives

By using high-performance capillary electrophoresis, we have successfully separated rat liver core histones into several subfractions. Inconvenient interactions of the highly basic proteins with the capillary wall were eliminated by a phosphate buffer system containing 0.03% hydroxyprophylmethylcellulose. Sample amounts of a few nanolitres were analysed within about 20 min. Multiacetylated histones H4 and H3 from induced Friend erythroleukaemic cells prepurified by h.p.l.c. were clearly separated into their non-acetylated and distinct acetylated forms. Our results illustrate that the application of capillary zone electrophoresis on its own or in combination with h.p.l.c. to the analysis of histones provides an important new alternative to traditional gel electrophoreses.