If you’ve ever studied chemistry or biology, there’s a good chance you’ve come across a chromosome-like representation of the general picture.
As millions of high-schoolers and undergraduates will confirm, this is a long, narrow X-shape – looking at what the two connected chromatids look like after DNA transcription, but before the cell division is complete, what Are separated at the point. Own of individual chromosomes.
Unfortunately, there is a small problem with this ubiquitous symbol, scientists say, at least in terms of how accurate its depiction is.
“For 90 percent of the time, chromosomes don’t exist like this.” Says Doctor-scientist Jun-Han Su, formerly of Harvard University.
In a study published this year, Sue and her team devised a new method Imaging the 3D organization of chromatin In human cells, chromosome chemistry gives us a much better understanding than Exonic X.
(Xiao Zhuang Lab)
Above: Multi-color image of chromatin, using multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization and super resolution microscopy.
“It’s very important to define a 3D organization.” Says Xiao Zhuang, a senior researcher, said, “To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the organization and also how it regulates genome function.”
Using a new high-resolution 3D imaging system – including multiple snapshots Genomic location With DNA Chains – Researchers were able to look at chromosomes in a way that had never been seen before, as well as glimpses into aspects of transcription activity.
High school and CHEM101 will never be the same. The team is Sharing your data online So other researchers can take their analysis further, and so we can explore this (almost) invisible part of ourselves further in the future.
“We envisage the widespread use of this high-throughput, multi-scale, and multi-modal imaging technology, which provides an integrated view of the chromatin organization in its original ural and functional context.” The team explains.
As stated in the findings Cells.
