Chromatin Structure in Transcriptional Regulation?

Question

Does anyone know the actual importance of chromatin structure, and how its important in transcriptional regulation. Plus if any one knows any good sites i can read about this add those as well. Thanks all

Answer 1

The DNA has to be wrapped up very tightly to fit all of it into the nucleus. This is a complex process involving chromatin (DNA and associated proteins). For example, histones are groups of protein molecules that the DNA strand wraps around to help compact its shape. For a gene to be expressed (transcribed) a section of the the DNA has to become 'unwrapped' and 'exposed' to the transcription machinery. Methylation and Acetylation of histones play significant roles in this process.

Any good, recent, biochemistry textbook will explain these issues. If you go to pubmed, they have an online book section. Click on any of the biochemistry books and enter into the search field "DNA, chromatin", or "DNA, histones", or "gene expression, chromatin" and you will find lots of info. and probably pictures too.

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 2

I heard a new term a few weeks ago that really intrigued me.

If I remember precisely, it was called "nuclear chromosomal facing"... A term used by my brilliantly minded boss, who borrowed the term from folks who coined the phrase.

This is a complex field dealing with the position of chromosomes and how they are preferentially transcribed, depending on their position within the nucleus.

If your looking for a somewhat friendlier answer, hetero-chromatin and eu-chromatin are google friendly search words which may lead to early understandings of why some chromatin regions are easier to transcribe over other regions.

In my own words, euchromatin is open and more accessible to transcription factors. The opposite is true of hetero-chromatin.

Follow the link below to learn more cool stuff.

I had fun thinking about the answer to your question. Please spread your good karma!

Answer 3

There are countless different differences between RNA and DNA. RNA is unmarried stranded mutually as DNA has a double strand. The sugar in RNA is ribose as against the deoxyribose in DNA. The nitrogenous bases in RNA are A, U, G and C. In DNA they seem to be a, T, G, C. DNA will become transcribed into RNA which then translate the language of nucleic acids into proteins by way of a technique called translation. In precis, DNA transcripts to RNA which interprets to polypeptides (proteins)