Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Nucleosome02:33

The Nucleosome

DNA in a human cell is almost 2m long and it is packed inside a tiny nucleus that is only a few microns in diameter. The level of compaction of DNA inside the nucleus is astonishing. It is organized into several sequentially higher levels of compaction to fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called histone core, that consist of 8 histone proteins. This complex...
The Nucleosome Core Particle02:10

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...
Nucleosome Remodeling02:54

Nucleosome Remodeling

Nucleosomes are the basic units of chromatin compaction. Each nucleosome consists of the DNA bound tightly around a histone core, which makes the DNA inaccessible to DNA binding proteins such as DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase. Hence, the fundamental problem is to ensure access to DNA when appropriate, despite the compact and protective chromatin structure.
Nucleosome remodeling complex
Eukaryotic cells have specialized enzymes called ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling enzymes. These enzymes...
The Nucleosome02:33

The Nucleosome

DNA in a human cell is almost 2m long and it is packed inside a tiny nucleus that is only a few microns in diameter. The level of compaction of DNA inside the nucleus is astonishing. It is organized into several sequentially higher levels of compaction to fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called histone core, that consist of 8 histone proteins. This complex...
The Nucleosome01:19

The Nucleosome

Human DNA is almost two meters long. However, it is compressed inside a tiny nucleus measuring only a few microns in diameter. To make this degree of compaction possible, DNA is organized into several sequential levels so that it can fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
In a chromosome, DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called a histone octamer core, which consists of 8 histone proteins. This...
The Nucleosome Core Particle01:12

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Matrix-associated DNA from maize is enriched in repetitive sequences.

Plant cell reportsยท2013
Same author

CCCTC-binding factor: to loop or to bridge.

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLSยท2009
Same author

Models for chromatin remodeling: a critical comparison.

Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaireยท2003
Same author

The archaeal histone-fold protein HMf organizes DNA into bona fide chromatin fibers.

Structure (London, England : 1993)ยท2001
Same author

DNA methylation-dependent chromatin fiber compaction in vivo and in vitro: requirement for linker histone.

FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biologyยท2001
Same author

Unfolding individual nucleosomes by stretching single chromatin fibers with optical tweezers.

Nature structural biologyยท2001

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA
10:40

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA

Published on: September 11, 2013

The nucleosome core particle: does it have structural and physiologic relevance?

K van Holde1, J Zlatanova

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|August 26, 1999
PubMed
Summary

The histone octamer can stably bind DNA lengths ranging from 100 to 170 bp, challenging the canonical 146 bp nucleosome model. Shorter DNA structures may hold greater biological significance than previously thought.

More Related Videos

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
09:52

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging

Published on: January 31, 2019

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination
07:59

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination

Published on: August 17, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA
10:40

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA

Published on: September 11, 2013

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
09:52

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging

Published on: January 31, 2019

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination
07:59

Preparation of Nucleosome Core Particles Complexed with DNA Repair Factors for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structural Determination

Published on: August 17, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Chromatin Structure

Background:

  • The nucleosomal core particle, with 146 bp of DNA, is considered the fundamental unit of chromatin.
  • The precise biological role of this canonical DNA length is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the DNA binding capacity of the histone octamer beyond the canonical 146 bp.
  • To explore the biological significance of nucleosomes with variable DNA lengths.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental analysis of histone octamer-DNA interactions.
  • Characterization of nucleosome structures with varying DNA lengths.

Main Results:

  • The histone octamer demonstrates stable accommodation of DNA ranging from approximately 100 to 170 bp.
  • Unfolded nucleosomal structures with less than 146 bp of DNA were observed.

Conclusions:

  • The histone octamer exhibits flexibility in DNA binding, accommodating a wider range of DNA lengths than previously defined.
  • Nucleosomes with DNA lengths shorter than 146 bp may possess significant, yet underappreciated, biological functions.