TY - JOUR
T1 - Keeping fingers crossed
T2 - Heterochromatin spreading through interdigitation of nucleosome arrays
AU - Grigoryev, Sergei A.
N1 - Funding Information:
I thank Drs. E. Popova and E. Springhetti for critical reading and valuable comments. The work was partially supported by NIH Grant GM-59118.
PY - 2004/4/23
Y1 - 2004/4/23
N2 - Interphase eukaryotic nuclei contain diffuse euchromatin and condensed heterochromatin. Current textbook models suggest that chromatin condensation occurs via accordion-type compaction of nucleosome zigzag chains. Recent studies have revealed several structural aspects that distinguish the highly compact state of condensed heterochromatin. These include an extensive lateral self-association of chromatin fibers, prominent nucleosome linker 'stems', and special protein factors that promote chromatin self-association. Here I review the molecular and structural determinants of chromatin compaction and discuss how heterochromatin spreading may be mediated by lateral self-association of zigzag nucleosome arrays.
AB - Interphase eukaryotic nuclei contain diffuse euchromatin and condensed heterochromatin. Current textbook models suggest that chromatin condensation occurs via accordion-type compaction of nucleosome zigzag chains. Recent studies have revealed several structural aspects that distinguish the highly compact state of condensed heterochromatin. These include an extensive lateral self-association of chromatin fibers, prominent nucleosome linker 'stems', and special protein factors that promote chromatin self-association. Here I review the molecular and structural determinants of chromatin compaction and discuss how heterochromatin spreading may be mediated by lateral self-association of zigzag nucleosome arrays.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00258-3
DO - 10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00258-3
M3 - Short survey
C2 - 15094034
AN - SCOPUS:1842861622
VL - 564
SP - 4
EP - 8
JO - FEBS Letters
JF - FEBS Letters
SN - 0014-5793
IS - 1-2
ER -