Chromatin Research Paper

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Pages: 11

Chromatin is a complex made up of DNA, histones, and non-histone proteins found in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell. Chromatin is found in all stages of the cell cycle and it undergoes further coiling to form chromosomes which is just highly condensed chromatin structure. Chromatin is a highly organized structure through which genetic material is used to regulate transcription, replication and also DNA repair.
Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is a molecule that consist of four types of nucleotide subunits. DNA encodes information using the four nucleotide subunits A, C, T, or G. These four bases can be considered a four letter alphabet that spells out biological messages chemically in DNA. Genetic information is carried in the linear sequence
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Heterochromatin, which is a highly condensed form and contains very few genes. Next is euchromatin which is less condensed and is gene rich (mostly active genes). When a gene that is being expressed in euchromatin is moved to a region of heterochromatin it is no longer going to be expressed, which is called being silenced. The activity of gene depends on its position relative to a nearby region of the heterochromatin. The precise structure of a domain of chromatin determines the expression of the genes packaged in it and there by the structure and function of the eukaryotic cell. Interphase chromatin structure is loose allowing access to RNA and DNA polymerases that transcribe and replicate the DNA. Since the cells spend most of their time in interphase because this is where their genetic information is being read out. The chromosomes are of greatest interest when they are least visible. Then there is the metaphase chromatin (chromosome) which is being optimized for physical strength so it can prevent damage to the DNA and for the daughter chromosomes being separated. Also there is the mitotic chromosome at the metaphase stage of mitosis. The two daughter molecules produced by DNA replication during the interphase stage of the cell division cycle are separated and folded to produce the two sister chromosomes. When this condensation is compact in metaphase the two sister chromatids have been disconnected and are side by side. The specific regions of interphase chromosomes decondense as the cells gain access to specific DNA sequences for gene expression, DNA repair and replication and then it recondenses when these processes are complete. Chromosome puffs arise and old puffs recede in its polytene chromosomes. Then genes become expressed while the old genes are turned