Nucleosome spacing periodically modulates nucleosome chain folding and DNA topology in circular nucleosome arrays.

ABSTRACT: The length of linker DNA that separates nucleosomes is highly variable, but its mechanistic role in modulating chromatin structure and functions remains unknown. Here, we established an experimental system using circular arrays of positioned nucleosomes to investigate whether variations in nucleosome linker length could affect nucleosome folding, self-association, and interactions. We conducted EM, DNA topology, native electrophoretic assays, and Mg²⁺-dependent self-association assays to study intrinsic folding of linear and circular nucleosome arrays with linker DNA length of 36 bp and 41 bp (3.5 turns and 4 turns of DNA double helix, respectively). These experiments revealed that potential artifacts arising from open DNA ends and full DNA relaxation in the linear arrays do not

SUBMITTER: Bass MV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6422092 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature