Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Visualization of DNA Compaction in Cyanobacteria by High-voltage Cryo-electron Tomography
09:47

Visualization of DNA Compaction in Cyanobacteria by High-voltage Cryo-electron Tomography

Published on: July 17, 2018

Macromolecular crowding and the mandatory condensation of DNA in bacteria

S B Zimmerman1, L D Murphy

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0560, USA.

FEBS Letters
|July 29, 1996
PubMed

More Related Videos

Mapping Absolute DNA Density in Cell Nuclei using Single-molecule Localization Microscopy10:57

Mapping Absolute DNA Density in Cell Nuclei using Single-molecule Localization Microscopy

Published on: November 11, 2025

Synthetic Condensates and Cell-Like Architectures from Amphiphilic DNA Nanostructures08:02

Synthetic Condensates and Cell-Like Architectures from Amphiphilic DNA Nanostructures

Published on: May 31, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes00:58

Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes

Eukaryotes have large genomes compared to prokaryotes. To fit their genomes into a cell, eukaryotic DNA is packaged extraordinarily tightly inside the nucleus. To achieve this, DNA is tightly wound around proteins called histones, which are packaged into nucleosomes that are joined by linker DNA and coil into chromatin fibers. Additional fibrous proteins further compact the chromatin, which is recognizable as chromosomes during certain phases of cell division.
DNA Packaging00:58

DNA Packaging

Overview
DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
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 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...
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria01:29

Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria

The DNA replication, transcription, and translation processes are intricately coupled in bacteria, allowing efficient gene expression and rapid protein synthesis. While this physical and functional coordination is advantageous, it introduces challenges that bacteria overcome through specific regulatory mechanisms.Coupling of Replication, Transcription, and TranslationThe coupling of replication, transcription, and translation is a hallmark of bacterial gene expression. As the replisome unwinds...