A structural perspective on the where, how, why, and what of nucleosome positioning.
The DNA in eukaryotic chromatin is packed by histones into arrays of repeating units called nucleosomes. Each nucleosome contains a nucleosome core, where the DNA is wrapped around a histone octamer, and a stretch of relatively unconstrained DNA called the linker DNA. Since nucleosome cores occlude the DNA from many DNA-binding factors, their positions provide important clues for understanding chromatin packing and gene regulation. Here we review the recent advances in the genome-wide mapping of nucleosome positions, the molecular and structural determinants of nucleosome positioning, and the importance of nucleosome positioning in chromatin higher order folding and transcriptional regulation.
Arya
Gaurav
G
Department of NanoEngineering, University of California at San Diego, MC 0448, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. garya@ucsd.edu
Maitra
Arijit
A
Grigoryev
Sergei A
SA
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / Q000502:physiology*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
D004798:Enzymes; D009707:Nucleosomes