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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...

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...

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...

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

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

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

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

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

Published on: September 10, 2013

Nucleosome positioning--what do we really know?

Andrew Travers¹, Micaela Caserta, Mark Churcher

¹Fondation Pierre-Gilles de Gennes pour la Recherche, c/o LBPA, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, 61 Avenue de Président Wilson, 94235 Cachan Cedex, France. atravers@lbpa.ens-cachan.fr

Molecular Biosystems

|October 2, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Nucleosome positioning on eukaryotic DNA significantly impacts gene expression. Recent studies reveal differences in nucleosome positioning near transcription start sites compared to distal regions, potentially due to varying experimental methods.

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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

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

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Published on: September 10, 2013

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genomics
Epigenetics

Background:

Nucleosome positioning on eukaryotic DNA is a critical factor regulating gene expression.
Nucleosomes near regulatory regions, such as transcription start sites, are often more precisely positioned in vivo.
Discrepancies exist in the literature regarding nucleosome positioning accuracy and its determinants.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare recent findings on nucleosome positioning using diverse techniques.
To investigate the reasons behind conflicting conclusions in previous studies.
To identify differences in nucleosome positioning between regulatory and non-regulatory genomic regions.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of data from recent studies employing various experimental techniques.
Evaluation of nucleosome occupancy and positioning data.
Focus on techniques considered less invasive to chromatin structure.

Main Results:

Disparate conclusions in the literature may stem from procedural differences in sampling nucleosome arrays.
Least invasive techniques highlight distinct nucleosome positioning near transcription start sites.
Differences are observed between nucleosomes at budding yeast transcription start sites and those in distal transcribed regions.

Conclusions:

Procedural variations in nucleosome analysis can lead to conflicting results.
Nucleosome positioning is demonstrably different in regulatory versus distal genomic locations.
Further investigation into the impact of chromatin organization on gene regulation is warranted.