[Boundaries of structure-functional units (domains) of eukaryotic chromosomes]

Extensive evidence indicates that eukaryotic chromosomes are organized as sets of structural-functional units (domains) that form the basis of independent gene activity. At present, several types of chromosome regions have been suggested for the role of putative domain boundaries between structural-functional units in eukaryotic chromosomes. In this review, the experimental data on several chromosome elements as possible boundaries in eukaryotic chromosomes are presented. They are: scs/scs'-elements of the Drosophila heat-shock locus, DCR, LCR and the insulator of the human and chicken beta-globin locus, as well as MARs (SARs) of plant and animal chromosomes.