Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Separation of Sister Chromatids

Separation of Sister Chromatids

At the transition from prophase to metaphase, there is a reduction in cohesion along the chromosomal arms, resulting in the resolution of sister chromatids. However, residual cohesin connections remain to hold the sister chromatids together until the transition from metaphase to anaphase. The residual connection prevents any premature separation of sister chromatids, blocking the risks of aneuploidy within the daughter cells.
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...

Position-effect Variegation

Position-effect Variegation

In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.

Heterochromatin

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...

Heterochromatin

Heterochromatin

Euchromatin

Euchromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...

Euchromatin

Euchromatin

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Pervasive and programmed nucleosome distortion on single chromatin fibres.

Nature·2026

Same author

Preferential formation of NUP98-KDM5A condensates at specific H3K4me3-rich loci drives leukemogenic gene expression.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

HP1γ self-assembles and cooperates with KAP1 in repression of long noncoding RNA AI662270 in ESCs.

Cell reports·2026

Same author

ATP-dependent remodeling of chromatin condensates reveals distinct mesoscale outcomes.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Same author

HMGB1 deforms nucleosomal DNA to generate a dynamic chromatin environment counteracting the effects of linker histone.

Science advances·2025

Same author

Autoinhibition imposed by a large conformational switch of INO80 regulates nucleosome positioning.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Same journal

Hypercholesterolemia-induced impairment in sorafenib functionality is overcome by avasimibe co-treatment.

Journal of biosciences·2026

Same journal

Evolutionary trade-offs in plant immunity: prioritizing antiviral priming by herbivore-induced plant volatiles over defense against herbivores.

Journal of biosciences·2026

Same journal

Birds and bees do not express RAGE: comparative physiology and non-conventional model organisms hold the key to hyperglycemia tolerance.

Journal of biosciences·2026

Same journal

Distinct macrophage and microglia function in ischemic stroke.

Journal of biosciences·2026

Same journal

Dynamic attributes of the pedicel: Key drivers, structure and function in angiosperms.

Journal of biosciences·2026

Same journal

Cardiometabolomic signatures and gut microbiota dynamics in perinatally undernourished F<sub>1</sub> offspring: Decoding the metabolic footprint.

Journal of biosciences·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Protein-Condensate Dynamics in Live Human Cells

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Protein-Condensate Dynamics in Live Human Cells

Published on: January 5, 2024

Phase-separation in chromatin organization.

Geeta J Narlikar¹

¹Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA, geeta.narlikar@ucsf.edu.

Journal of Biosciences

|January 23, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chromatin organization fine-tunes gene regulation. Phase-separation mechanisms are explored as a novel way to control chromatin function and organization, impacting gene expression.

More Related Videos

Immunofluorescent Staining for Visualization of Heterochromatin Associated Proteins in Drosophila Salivary Glands

Immunofluorescent Staining for Visualization of Heterochromatin Associated Proteins in Drosophila Salivary Glands

Published on: August 21, 2021

Chromatin Spread Preparations for the Analysis of Mouse Oocyte Progression from Prophase to Metaphase II

Chromatin Spread Preparations for the Analysis of Mouse Oocyte Progression from Prophase to Metaphase II

Published on: February 26, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Protein-Condensate Dynamics in Live Human Cells

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Protein-Condensate Dynamics in Live Human Cells

Published on: January 5, 2024

Immunofluorescent Staining for Visualization of Heterochromatin Associated Proteins in Drosophila Salivary Glands

Immunofluorescent Staining for Visualization of Heterochromatin Associated Proteins in Drosophila Salivary Glands

Published on: August 21, 2021

Chromatin Spread Preparations for the Analysis of Mouse Oocyte Progression from Prophase to Metaphase II

Chromatin Spread Preparations for the Analysis of Mouse Oocyte Progression from Prophase to Metaphase II

Published on: February 26, 2018

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

Chromatin structure, ranging from compact to open states, is crucial for regulating gene expression.
Emerging evidence suggests that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays a role in organizing chromatin.
Understanding LLPS in chromatin offers new insights into gene regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To discuss molecular mechanisms by which phase-separation influences chromatin organization.
To explore how phase-separation can be leveraged for precise control of gene function.
To provide a perspective on the implications of phase-separation in chromatin biology.

Main Methods:

This is a perspective piece, not an experimental study.
It synthesizes and discusses findings from recent relevant research.
Focuses on theoretical and mechanistic insights into phase-separation in chromatin.

Main Results:

Phase-separation can drive the formation of distinct chromatin compartments.
Specific molecular interactions mediate the recruitment and release of factors involved in gene regulation.
These processes allow for dynamic and tunable control over chromatin states.

Conclusions:

Phase-separation represents a significant mechanism for regulating chromatin organization and function.
This paradigm offers new avenues for understanding gene control and potential therapeutic strategies.
Further research into the molecular details of chromatin phase-separation is warranted.