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Chromosome biology

Structuring interphase chromatin

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 18, pages 468–469 (2017)Cite this article

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The authors used three-dimensional DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization in human interphase nuclei to examine whether SAFA, which is an abundant component of the nuclear matrix, affects large-scale chromatin structure. SAFA depletion caused substantial compaction of chromosomal gene-rich regions, whereas chromosomal regions with low gene density remained unchanged. Moreover, SAFA depletion caused compaction of entire nuclear territories that are occupied by gene-rich chromosomes.

Transcription was previously shown to be necessary for chromosomal decompaction. However, transcription inhibition did not induce further chromosome compaction in SAFA-depleted cells, indicating that SAFA and transcription function in the same pathway.

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References

  1. Nozawa, R.-S. et al. SAF-A regulates interphase chromosome structure through oligomerization with chromatin-associated RNAs. Cell 169, 1214–1227 (2017)

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  1. Eytan Zlotorynski
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Engreitz, J.M., Ollikainen, N. & Guttman, M. Long non-coding RNAs: spatial amplifiers that control nuclear structure and gene expression. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 17, 756-770 (2016)

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Zlotorynski, E. Structuring interphase chromatin. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 18, 468–469 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm.2017.65

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm.2017.65

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