2.

Chromosome structure and specific

epigenetic marks

DNA is compacted into chromatin

DNA exists wrapped around histone proteins
DNA + histones = chromatin
Formation of chromatin enables compaction of the DNA
~2 metres of DNA is packaged into the nucleus ~10 m in diameter

DNA is compacted into chromatin

Packaging of DNA into a compressed form causes problems of accessibility

for transcription and DNA replication (and DNA repair)

Tightness of chromatin compaction negatively correlates with transcriptional

activity
Tightly packed chromatin = DNA is less accessible to the transcriptional
machinery (e.g. RNA Polymerase, transcription factors)
Loosely packed chromatin = DNA is more accessible and transcription could
ensue more readily

Need extra background on transcription or

DNA replication?
http://www.wehi.edu.au/education/wehitv/molecular_visualisations_of_dna/
http://www.wehi.edu.au/education/wehitv/dna_central_dogma_part_1_-_transcription/
http://www.wehi.edu.au/education/wehitv/dna_central_dogma_part_2_-_translation/

The nucleosome = DNA + histones

The nucleosome is the smallest unit of chromatin

Nucleosome = 146 bp of DNA wrapped around a histone octamer (2 x H2A,

2 x H2B, 2 x H3, 2 x H4) linked by exterior histone H1

DNA makes 1 turns around the histone

octamer

The nucleosome = DNA + histones

Histones are positively charged (lysine and arginine rich)

Positively charged histones bind to negatively charged DNA

N-terminal histone tails protrude from the

octamer

Nucleosomes plus linker DNA: beads on a string model

Acknowledgements

Nucleosome organization (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

File:Nucleosome_organization.png ) by Darekk2 CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en ) via Wikimedia Commons.
X Inactivation and Epigenetics by Etsuko Uno and Drew Berry, 2012 Walter &
Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Reproduced with permission from
WEHI.
Electron micrograph of decondensed chromatin from chicken erythrocytes.
Typical nucleofilaments (11-nm chromatin fibers, aka beads-on-a-string) are
seen. Black brackets highlight individual nucleosomes; black arrowheads point
to nucleosome core particles (the beads), white arrowheads to linker DNA (the
string). Scale bar: 50 nm. derivative work by Gouttegd (original work by Chris
Woodcock (Chromatin_nucleofilaments.png) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), via Wikimedia Commons