Polymer chain models of DNA and chromatin.
Many properties of the genome in the cell nucleus can be understood by modeling DNA and chromatin as a flexible polymer chain. This article introduces into current models for such a coarse-grained description and reviews some recent results from our own group. Examples given are the unrolling of DNA from the histone core and the response of the 30 nm chromatin fiber to mechanical stretching.
Langowski
J
J
Division Biophysics of Macromolecules, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany. jl@dkfz-heidelberg.de
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D016678:Genome; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D049329:Nanostructures; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure
D002843:Chromatin; D009707:Nucleosomes; D004247:DNA