Affinity purification of specific chromatin segments from chromosomal loci in yeast

Single-copy gene and promoter regions have been excised from yeast chromosomes and have been purified as chromatin by conventional and affinity methods. Promoter regions isolated in transcriptionally repressed and activated states maintain their characteristic chromatin structures. Gel filtration analysis establishes the uniformity of the transcriptionally activated state. Activator proteins interact in the manner anticipated from previous studies in vivo. This work opens the way to the direct study of specific gene regions of eukaryotic chromosomes in diverse functional and structural states.