Characterization of nucleosome unwrapping within chromatin fibers using magnetic tweezers.

ABSTRACT: Nucleosomal arrays fold into chromatin fibers and the higher-order folding of chromatin plays a strong regulatory role in all processes involving DNA access, such as transcription and replication. A fundamental understanding of such regulation requires insight into the folding properties of the chromatin fiber in molecular detail. Despite this, the structure and the mechanics of chromatin fibers remain highly disputed. Single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments have the potential to provide such insight, but interpretation of the data has been hampered by the large variations in experimental force-extension traces. Here we explore the possibility that chromatin fibers are composed of both single-turn and fully wrapped histone octamers. By characterizing the force-dependent behavior of

SUBMITTER: Chien FT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4104046 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature