Discontinuous fragmentation of nuclear DNA during apoptosis revealed by discrete “sub‐G₁” peaks on DNA content histograms

Abstract

Apoptosis-induced DNA fragmentation is discontinuous; approximately 42% of DNA is relatively stable and remains within the cell. The data suggest that the stable DNA is associated with nuclear matrix while the degradable fraction represents DNA in loop domains. A transient DNA stabilization is apparent in the presence of GA as evidenced by the presence of cell subpopulations with 79% of DNA retained in the cell. The observed discontinuity of DNA fragmentation appears to reflect sequential involvement of different nucleases and may also be modulated by chromatin structure.