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Related Concept Videos

Spreading of Chromatin Modifications02:25

Spreading of Chromatin Modifications

The histone proteins in the nucleosomes are post-translationally modified (PTM) to increase or decrease access to DNA. The commonly observed PTMs are methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination of lysine amino acids in the histone H3 tail region. These histone modifications have specific meaning for the cell. Hence, they are called "histone code". The protein complex involved in histone modification is termed as "reader-writer" complex.
Writers
The writer is an enzyme that can...
Chromatin Packaging01:32

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base pairs of DNA. Each base pair is 0.34 nm long, meaning each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. This long DNA strand is packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10-20 microns in diameter with the help of specialized DNA-binding proteins called histones. Together they form a compact DNA-protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin is further compacted into higher-order structures. The highest level of compaction is achieved during...
Chromatin Packaging02:21

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base-pairs of DNA. Each base-pair is 0.34 nm long, which means that each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. How is such a long DNA strand packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10 - 20 microns in diameter? 
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.
Chromatin Packaging02:21

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base-pairs of DNA. Each base-pair is 0.34 nm long, which means that each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. How is such a long DNA strand packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10 - 20 microns in diameter? 
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.
Duplication of Chromatin Structure02:05

Duplication of Chromatin Structure

The process of chromosome duplication during cell division requires genome-wide disruption and re-assembly of chromatin. The chromatin structure must be accurately inherited, reassembled, and maintained in the daughter cells to ensure lineage propagation.
The basic unit of the chromatin is the nucleosome, consisting of DNA wrapped around octameric histone proteins and short stretches of linker DNA separating individual nucleosomes. The histone proteins within the nucleosome have their...
Heterochromatin02:38

Heterochromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at 9th...

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Getting an A with the 3Cs: Chromosome Conformation Capture for Undergraduates
09:13

Getting an A with the 3Cs: Chromosome Conformation Capture for Undergraduates

Published on: May 12, 2023

Stretching chromatin through confinement.

Diana E Streng1, Shuang Fang Lim, Junhan Pan

  • 1Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.

Lab on a Chip
|December 8, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We developed a nanofluidic channel method to stretch chromatin molecules for optical investigation. This technique reveals chromatin is 2.5 times more compact than bare DNA when stretched.

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Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers
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A Multilabel Single Molecule Localization Microscopy Protocol for Investigation of Chromatin in the Dense Nuclear Environment
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Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Getting an A with the 3Cs: Chromosome Conformation Capture for Undergraduates
09:13

Getting an A with the 3Cs: Chromosome Conformation Capture for Undergraduates

Published on: May 12, 2023

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers
10:28

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

Published on: September 20, 2018

A Multilabel Single Molecule Localization Microscopy Protocol for Investigation of Chromatin in the Dense Nuclear Environment
08:49

A Multilabel Single Molecule Localization Microscopy Protocol for Investigation of Chromatin in the Dense Nuclear Environment

Published on: June 5, 2026

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Nanotechnology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Chromatin structure and dynamics are crucial for gene regulation.
  • Investigating chromatin at high resolution requires effective stretching methods.
  • Nanofluidic channels offer unique environments for polymer manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel method for stretching chromatin molecules using nanofluidic channels.
  • To enable high-resolution, location-resolved optical investigation of chromatin.
  • To compare the stretching behavior of chromatin and bare DNA.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing nanofluidic channels with dimensions of approximately 80 x 80 nm(2).
  • Applying the principle of equilibrium polymer elongation in confined spaces.
  • Comparing the stretching of reconstituted chromatin and bare DNA of equal genomic length.

Main Results:

  • Achieved chromatin stretching to approximately 12 base pairs/nm.
  • Enabled optical investigation with a resolution of up to 6 kilobase pairs (kbp).
  • Demonstrated that stretched chromatin is 2.5 times more compact than stretched bare DNA.

Conclusions:

  • The developed nanofluidic method effectively stretches chromatin for detailed optical analysis.
  • The de Gennes model may describe the elongation of reconstituted chromatin.
  • Chromatin exhibits significantly higher compaction than DNA even in a stretched state within nanofluidic channels.