Nuclei from the normal mouse liver were partially digested with micrococcal nuclease, followed by DNA extraction, agarose gel clectrophoresis and dot blot hybridization with ~(32)P-labeled cDNA probes of CPS_1 and ACT complex, It was clearly shown that the CPS_1 genes were distributed on the monomer, dimer. and trimer of nucleosomes, while the genes coding for ACT complex were distributed on the condensed oligonucleosomes. An opposite manner of distribution of CPS_1 and ACT complex genes was, however, noted in the case of ascites hepatoma cells, in which the specific activity of ACT was 13 times higher than that in the normal liver, while that of CPS_1 was remarkably reduced. Similar patterns of change in mRNA level of CPS_1 and ACT complex were observed in the normal mouse liver and ascites hepatoma cells, indicating a close relationship between chromatin structure and gene expression of these enzymes. Nuclei from the normal mouse liver partially digested with micrococcal nuclease, followed by DNA extraction, agarose gel clectrophoresis and dot blot hybridization with ~ (32) P-labeled cDNA probes of CPS_1 and ACT complex, It was clear that the CPS_1 genes were distributed on the monomer, dimer. and trimer of nucleosomes, while the genes coding for ACT complex were distributed on the condensed oligonucleosomes. An opposite manner of distribution of CPS_1 and ACT complex genes was, however, noted in the case of ascites hepatoma cells, in which the specific activity of ACT was 13 times higher than that in the normal liver, while that of CPS_1 was remarkably reduced. Similar patterns of change in mRNA level of CPS_1 and ACT complex were observed in the normal mouse liver and ascites hepatoma cells, indicating a close relationship between chromatin structure and gene expression of these enzymes.