Published in: Biophysical J., Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 184-190, (July, 2000):
"Size-Dependent Positioning of Human Chromosomes in Interphase Nuclei".
Hui Bin Sun,Jin Shen, and Hiroki Yokota
Biomedical Engineering Program, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 USA
Abstract:
By using a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique we revealed
that for nine different q-arm telomere markers the positioning of
chromosomes in human G1 interphase nuclei was chromosome size-dependent.
The q-arm telomeres of large chromosomes are more peripherally
located than telomeres on small chromosomes. This highly organized
arrangement of chromatin within the human nucleus was discovered
by determining the x and y coordinates of the hybridization
sites and calculating the root-mean-square radial distance to
the nuclear centers in human fibroblasts. We demonstrate here
that global organization within the G1 interphase
nucleus is affected by one of the most fundamental physical
quantities - chromosome size or mass - and propose two biophysical
models, a volume exclusion model and a mitotic preset model,
to explain our finding.
Additional Reference:
Frenster JH, "Ultrastructural Continuity between Active and Repressed Chromatin".
For Further Information and Feedback:
E-mail: frenster@euchromatin.net
euchromatin: "the most active portion of the genome within the
cell nucleus".