Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
Published on: January 31, 2019
The relationship between periodic dinucleotides and the nucleosomal DNA deformation revealed by normal mode analysis
1Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon. danwang6@student.cityu.edu.hk
Abstract:
Nucleosomes, which contain DNA and proteins, are the basic unit of eukaryotic chromatins. Polymers such as DNA and proteins are dynamic, and their conformational changes can lead to functional changes. Periodic dinucleotide patterns exist in nucleosomal DNA chains and play an important role in the nucleosome structure. In this paper, we use normal mode analysis to detect significant structural deformations of nucleosomal DNA and investigate the relationship between periodic dinucleotides and DNA motions. We have found that periodic dinucleotides are usually located at the peaks or valleys of DNA and protein motions, revealing that they dominate the nucleosome dynamics. Also, a specific dinucleotide pattern CA/TG appears most frequently.
Related Concept Videos
Nucleosome Remodeling
Nucleosome remodeling complex
Eukaryotic cells have specialized enzymes called ATP-dependent nucleosome remodeling enzymes. These enzymes...
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...
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...
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...
The Nucleosome
DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called histone core, that consist of 8 histone proteins. This complex...
Chromatin Packaging

