Chromatin hierarchical branching visualized at the nanoscale by electron microscopy.

ABSTRACT: Chromatin is spatially organized in a hierarchical manner by virtue of single nucleosomes condensing into higher order chromatin structures, conferring various mechanical properties and biochemical signals. These higher order chromatin structures regulate genomic function by organization of the heterochromatin and euchromatin landscape. Less is known about its transition state from higher order heterochromatin to the lower order nucleosome form, and there is no information on its physical properties. We have developed a facile method of electron microscopy visualization to reveal the interphase chromatin in eukaryotic cells and its organization into hierarchical branching structures. We note that chromatin hierarchical branching can be distinguished at four levels, clearly indicating the s

SUBMITTER: Zhou Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8323808 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature