title: Condensed chromatin domains in the mammalian nucleus are accessible to large macromolecules.
abstract: Most chromatin in interphase nuclei is part of condensed chromatin domains. Previous work has indicated that transcription takes place primarily at the surface of chromatin domains, that is, in the perichromatin region. It is possible that genes inside chromatin domains are silenced due to inaccessibility to macromolecular components of the transcription machinery. We have tested the accessibility of chromatin domains in nuclei of living cells with proteins and dextrans of different molecular sizes. Our results show that chromatin domains are readily accessible to large macromolecules, including proteins with a molecular weight of several hundred kilodaltons. Therefore, the silencing of genes that are incorporated into such domains is not due to the physical inaccessibility of condensed chromatin domains to transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, BioCentrum Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands. pj.verschure@science.uva.nl
authors.forename: Pernette J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Verschure
authors.forename: Ineke
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van der Kraan
authors.forename: Erik M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Manders
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoogstraten
authors.forename: Adriaan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Houtsmuller
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Driel
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D003911:Dextrans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins