Researchers use laser 'tweezers' to study structure and dynamics of chromatin
Published Date: 7/15/2021
Source: phys.org
Each one of the cells in our body contains DNA, which provides the instructions required for our development and function. Astoundingly, a total of two meters of DNA is packaged in each cell's nucleus, just tens of microns in size, a feat accomplished by packaging the DNA into a compact structure called chromatin. Its basic organization level is provided by wrapping the DNA around proteins called histones in a spool-like structure that resembles "beads on a string." Then, more complex structures called chromatosomes are formed with the help of a special histone, known as a "linker histone," which connects the "strings."