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Journal articles
Modulated contact frequencies at gene-rich loci support a statistical helix model for mammalian chromatin organization.
Abstract : ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Despite its critical role for mammalian gene regulation, the basic structural landscape of chromatin in living cells remains largely unknown within chromosomal territories below the megabase scale. RESULTS: Here, using the 3C-qPCR method, we investigate contact frequencies at high resolution within the interphase chromatin at several mouse loci. We find that, at several gene-rich loci, contact frequencies undergo a periodical modulation (every 90-100 kb) that affects chromatin dynamics over large genomic distances (few hundred kb). Interestingly, this modulation appears to be conserved in human cells and bioinformatic analyses of locus-specific, long-range cis-interactions suggest that it may underlie the dynamics of a significant number of gene-rich domains in mammals, thus contributing to genome evolution. Finally, using an original model derived from polymer physics, we show that this modulation can be understood as a fundamental helix shape that chromatin tends to adopt in gene-rich domains when no significant locus-specific interaction takes place. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our work unveils a fundamental aspect of chromatin dynamics in mammals and contributes to a better understanding of genome organization within chromosomal territories.
https://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00605349
Contributor : Ed. Bmc <>
Submitted on : Friday, July 1, 2011 - 12:04:32 PM
Last modification on : Monday, February 15, 2021 - 3:24:27 PM
Long-term archiving on: : Monday, November 12, 2012 - 9:52:26 AM
Contributor : Ed. Bmc <>
Submitted on : Friday, July 1, 2011 - 12:04:32 PM
Last modification on : Monday, February 15, 2021 - 3:24:27 PM
Long-term archiving on: : Monday, November 12, 2012 - 9:52:26 AM