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The Nucleosome

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 Particle

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 Remodeling

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...

Apoptosis

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...

The Nucleosome Core Particle

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Published on: February 16, 2015

Apoptosis and nucleosomes.

B D Stollar¹, F Stephenson

¹Department of Biochemistry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.

|January 17, 2003

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Nucleosomes from apoptotic cells are key antigens in lupus pathogenesis. Early autoantibodies target nucleosomes, driving disease progression and lesion development in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

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Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Published on: February 16, 2015

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Published on: August 12, 2018

In Vitro Ubiquitination and Deubiquitination Assays of Nucleosomal Histones

In Vitro Ubiquitination and Deubiquitination Assays of Nucleosomal Histones

Published on: July 25, 2019

Area of Science:

Immunology
Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

Background:

Nucleosomes are implicated as autoantigens in lupus.
Apoptotic cells are a significant source of these nucleosomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of nucleosomes and apoptotic cells in lupus pathogenesis.
To examine the timing and impact of anti-nucleosome autoantibodies in disease development.

Main Methods:

Measurement of circulating nucleosomes and nucleosome-antibody complexes in autoimmune mice.
Assessment of nucleosomal deposition in skin and renal lesions of SLE patients.
Monitoring autoantibody production kinetics in MRL+/+ mice.
Evaluation of the effects of pro-apoptotic drug treatment on disease progression.

Main Results:

Circulating nucleosomes and nucleosome-antibody complexes persist in autoimmune mice.
Nucleosomal deposition is observed in SLE patient tissues.
Anti-nucleosome antibodies are early autoantibodies in MRL+/+ mice, preceding anti-DNA antibodies.
Pro-apoptotic drug treatment accelerated autoantibody production and lesion development.

Conclusions:

Apoptosis-derived nucleosomes are critical antigens in lupus pathogenesis.
These nucleosomes contribute to both the initial immune response and the effector phase of SLE.
Defective clearance of apoptotic cells and impaired macrophage function may lead to persistent nucleosome immunization.