Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells01:32

Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells

1.5K
Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
1.5K
Heterochromatin02:38

Heterochromatin

12.0K
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...
12.0K
Euchromatin01:01

Euchromatin

6.8K
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...
6.8K
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells01:19

Protein Dynamics in Living Cells

1.9K
Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
1.9K
Position-effect Variegation02:32

Position-effect Variegation

5.6K
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.
5.6K
Duplication of Chromatin Structure02:05

Duplication of Chromatin Structure

6.1K
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...
6.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Mapping 3D genome organization at nucleosome-scale with Micro-C and Region Capture Micro-C (RCMC).

Nature protocols·2026
Same author

Genome-wide absolute quantification of chromatin looping.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same author

Live-cell imaging of enhancer-promoter dynamics reveals transient contact-driven gene activation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Membrane bridges and nanodomain partitioning govern membrane protein targeting to lipid droplets.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same author

De novo formation of cis-regulatory contacts in the absence of NIPBL-driven chromatin loop extrusion.

Nature genetics·2026
Same author

QuantiTrack: A unified software to study protein dynamics in living cells.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Author Spotlight: An Integrated Workflow to Study the Promoter-Centric Spatio-Temporal Genome Architecture in Scarce Cell Populations
11:36

Author Spotlight: An Integrated Workflow to Study the Promoter-Centric Spatio-Temporal Genome Architecture in Scarce Cell Populations

Published on: April 21, 2023

2.7K

Integrated MINFLUX tracking reveals two distinct chromatin dynamics classes across cell types.

Matteo Mazzocca1,2,3,4, Domenic N Narducci1,2,3,4, Simon Grosse-Holz5,6

  • 1Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
|May 4, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Chromatin dynamics were tracked across seven orders of magnitude in time, revealing two distinct, cell-type-specific movement patterns. These findings challenge existing polymer models and impact our understanding of DNA repair and gene regulation.

More Related Videos

Photobleaching Assays FRAP & FLIP to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells
09:18

Photobleaching Assays FRAP & FLIP to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: June 29, 2011

26.3K
Single-Cell Factor Localization on Chromatin using Ultra-Low Input Cleavage Under Targets and Release using Nuclease
09:20

Single-Cell Factor Localization on Chromatin using Ultra-Low Input Cleavage Under Targets and Release using Nuclease

Published on: February 1, 2022

2.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Author Spotlight: An Integrated Workflow to Study the Promoter-Centric Spatio-Temporal Genome Architecture in Scarce Cell Populations
11:36

Author Spotlight: An Integrated Workflow to Study the Promoter-Centric Spatio-Temporal Genome Architecture in Scarce Cell Populations

Published on: April 21, 2023

2.7K
Photobleaching Assays FRAP & FLIP to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells
09:18

Photobleaching Assays FRAP & FLIP to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: June 29, 2011

26.3K
Single-Cell Factor Localization on Chromatin using Ultra-Low Input Cleavage Under Targets and Release using Nuclease
09:20

Single-Cell Factor Localization on Chromatin using Ultra-Low Input Cleavage Under Targets and Release using Nuclease

Published on: February 1, 2022

2.2K

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Chromatin dynamics are crucial for biological processes and nuclear organization.
  • Previous studies show inconsistent chromatin subdiffusion measurements.
  • Robust measurements require tracking across a wide dynamic range.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate chromatin dynamics across an unprecedented timescale.
  • To identify distinct chromatin movement patterns and their underlying mechanisms.
  • To assess the implications of observed dynamics for nuclear processes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized MINFLUX microscopy for high-resolution tracking.
  • Integrated single-molecule and single-locus tracking techniques.
  • Analyzed chromatin movement across seven orders of magnitude in time in five cell types.

Main Results:

  • Discovered two distinct, cell-type-specific chromatin dynamics classes.
  • Observed strong subdiffusion (α ~0.3) in one class, indicating localized searching.
  • Identified a shift from strong to weaker subdiffusion in the second class over time.
  • Found dynamics are moderately sensitive to perturbations.
  • Predicted extremely short search times for nearby loci (<100 nm) and impractically long times for distant loci (>1 µm).

Conclusions:

  • Common chromatin polymer models do not fully explain the observed dynamics.
  • The two identified dynamics classes have significant implications for enhancer-promoter interactions and DNA repair.
  • Understanding chromatin search dynamics is critical for deciphering nuclear organization and function.