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Nucleoid01:24

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The nucleoid represents a structurally and functionally distinct region within prokaryotic cells, where the cell's DNA and associated proteins are housed. Unlike eukaryotic cells, prokaryotes lack a membrane-bound nucleus, and the nucleoid facilitates the organization and accessibility of the genetic material within this constraint. The DNA in most bacteria and archaea exists as a single, circular, double-stranded molecule that is highly compacted through supercoiling and interactions with...
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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.
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Crenarchaeota, a prominent phylum of Archaea, is remarkable for its ability to thrive in extreme environments characterized by high temperatures and acidity. These microorganisms inhabit sulfuric hot springs, volcanic systems, and submarine hydrothermal vents, where temperatures often exceed 100°C. The unique adaptations of Crenarchaeota not only allow survival under such extreme conditions but also provide insights into the mechanisms of life in primordial Earth-like...
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Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3...
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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.
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Let's wrap things up: Open and closed hypernucleosomes in Asgard archaea.

Daniela Barillà1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.

Molecular Cell
|November 21, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Asgard archaea, the closest relatives to eukaryotes, were studied. Researchers revealed high-resolution structures of hodarchaeal histone HHoB hypernucleosomes, showing open and closed chromatin states.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Asgard archaea are recognized as the closest living relatives to eukaryotes.
  • Understanding their chromatin structure is key to deciphering eukaryotic origins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structural basis of chromatin organization in Asgard archaea.
  • To investigate the role of the hodarchaeal HHoB histone in forming higher-order chromatin structures.

Main Methods:

  • High-resolution structural analysis.
  • Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) or X-ray crystallography.
  • Biochemical assays to study histone-DNA interactions.

Main Results:

  • High-resolution structures of hypernucleosomes formed by the hodarchaeal HHoB histone were determined.
  • Distinct open and closed chromatin conformations were revealed.
  • Insights into the mechanism of chromatin compaction in archaea were provided.

Conclusions:

  • The findings provide a structural basis for understanding chromatin organization in Asgard archaea.
  • This work sheds light on the evolutionary transition from archaeal to eukaryotic chromatin structures.
  • The study highlights the conserved yet distinct mechanisms of genome packaging across life domains.