Biomaterial Database

The relationship between higher-order chromatin structure and transcription. 2006

Nick Gilbert, and Wendy A Bickmore

MRC Human Genetics Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.

It has generally been assumed that transcriptionally active genes are in an 'open' chromatin structure and that silent genes have a 'closed' chromatin structure. Here we re-assess this axiom in the light of genome-wide studies of chromatin fibre structure. Using a combination of sucrose gradient sedimentation and genomic microarrays of the human genome, we argue that open chromatin fibres originate from regions of high gene density, whether or not those genes are transcriptionally active.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002843	Chromatin	The material of CHROMOSOMES. It is a complex of DNA; HISTONES; and nonhistone proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE) found within the nucleus of a cell.	Chromatins
D002877	Chromosomes, Human	Very long DNA molecules and associated proteins, HISTONES, and non-histone chromosomal proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE). Normally 46 chromosomes, including two sex chromosomes are found in the nucleus of human cells. They carry the hereditary information of the individual.	Chromosome, Human,Human Chromosome,Human Chromosomes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014158	Transcription, Genetic	The biosynthesis of RNA carried out on a template of DNA. The biosynthesis of DNA from an RNA template is called REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION.	Genetic Transcription
D015394	Molecular Structure	The location of the atoms, groups or ions relative to one another in a molecule, as well as the number, type and location of covalent bonds.	Structure, Molecular,Molecular Structures,Structures, Molecular
D015894	Genome, Human	The complete genetic complement contained in the DNA of a set of CHROMOSOMES in a HUMAN. The length of the human genome is about 3 billion base pairs.	Human Genome,Genomes, Human,Human Genomes
D020223	Chromosome Painting	A technique for visualizing CHROMOSOME ABERRATIONS using fluorescently labeled DNA probes which are hybridized to chromosomal DNA. Multiple fluorochromes may be attached to the probes. Upon hybridization, this produces a multicolored, or painted, effect with a unique color at each site of hybridization. This technique may also be used to identify cross-species homology by labeling probes from one species for hybridization with chromosomes from another species.	Chromosome Paintings,Painting, Chromosome,Paintings, Chromosome
D020411	Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis	Hybridization of a nucleic acid sample to a very large set of OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBES, which have been attached individually in columns and rows to a solid support, to determine a BASE SEQUENCE, or to detect variations in a gene sequence, GENE EXPRESSION, or for GENE MAPPING.	DNA Microarrays,Gene Expression Microarray Analysis,Oligonucleotide Arrays,cDNA Microarrays,DNA Arrays,DNA Chips,DNA Microchips,Gene Chips,Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis,Oligonucleotide Microarrays,Sequence Analysis, Oligonucleotide Array,cDNA Arrays,Array, DNA,Array, Oligonucleotide,Array, cDNA,Arrays, DNA,Arrays, Oligonucleotide,Arrays, cDNA,Chip, DNA,Chip, Gene,Chips, DNA,Chips, Gene,DNA Array,DNA Chip,DNA Microarray,DNA Microchip,Gene Chip,Microarray, DNA,Microarray, Oligonucleotide,Microarray, cDNA,Microarrays, DNA,Microarrays, Oligonucleotide,Microarrays, cDNA,Microchip, DNA,Microchips, DNA,Oligonucleotide Array,Oligonucleotide Microarray,cDNA Array,cDNA Microarray