Acetylation and methylation patterns of core histones are modified after heat or arsenite treatment of Drosophila tissue culture cells

Exposure of Drosophilamelanogaster tissue culture cells to 37 degrees C (heat shock) or to arsenite induces a severe deacetylation of core histones and blocks the methylation of histone H(3) and H(4). Heat shock induces the methylation of histone H(2b). These results are discussed in view of chromatin structure and function.Images