[Spectral analysis of chromatin and its components in the vacuum ultraviolet region of the spectrum].
Electronic absorption spectra of thin films of chromatin and chromatin components in ultraviolet (140-280 nm) were investigated. The absorption coefficients mu (lambda) of chromatin, nucleosomes with and without histone H1, total histones (TH), DNA were compared. The spectra of nucleosomes and chromatin differ from summary spectra of DNA + TH. The lack of additivity of absorption coefficients at different wavelengths may be explained by different conformational changes of free DNA, TH and DNA, TH in nucleosomes and chromatin during the process of drying aqueous solutions for the preparations of thin films. The obtained mu (lambda) values are necessary for the estimation of the DNA and TH parts of absorption in chromatin and nucleosomes in the investigations of UV and VUV irradiation damages.