Cryoelectron tomography reveals the multiplex anatomy of condensed native chromatin and its unfolding by histone citrullination.

ABSTRACT: Nucleosome chains fold and self-associate to form higher-order structures whose internal organization is unknown. Here, cryoelectron tomography (cryo-ET) of native human chromatin reveals intrinsic folding motifs such as (1) non-uniform nucleosome stacking, (2) intermittent parallel and perpendicular orientations of adjacent nucleosome planes, and (3) a regressive nucleosome chain path, which deviates from the direct zigzag topology seen in reconstituted nucleosomal arrays. By examining the self-associated structures, we observed prominent nucleosome stacking in cis and anti-parallel nucleosome interactions, which are consistent with partial nucleosome interdigitation in trans. Histone citrullination strongly inhibits nucleosome stacking and self-association with a modest effect on chromat

SUBMITTER: Jentink N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10566567 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature