Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA
Published on: September 11, 2013
Low-angle neutron scattering from chromatin subunit particles
Abstract:
Monomer chromatin particles containing 140 base pairs of DNA and eight histone molecules have been studied by neutron scattering. From measurements in various H2O/D2O mixtures, radii of gyration and the average scattering density of the particle were determined. The radius of gyration under conditions when scattering from the DNA dominates is 50A, and when scattering from the protein dominates, 30A. Consequently the core of the particle is largely occupied by the histones while the outer shell consists of DNA together with some of the histone.
Related Concept Videos
The Nucleosome Core Particle
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 Remodeling
Nucleosome remodeling complex
Eukaryotic cells have specialized enzymes called ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling enzymes. These enzymes...
Chromatin Packaging
The chromatin
In combination with specialized DNA binding protein called Histones, the DNA double helix forms a compact DNA: protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin itself is further compacted into higher-order structures.
The Nucleosome
In a chromosome, DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called a histone octamer core, which consists of 8 histone proteins. This...
Chromatin Packaging
The Nucleosome Core Particle
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...

