scholarly journals Nuclear Organization of Mammalian Genomes

1999 ◽  
Vol 146 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Sadoni ◽  
Sabine Langer ◽  
Christine Fauth ◽  
Giorgio Bernardi ◽  
Thomas Cremer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Chromosome Structure ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Replication Timing ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Chromosome Territories ◽  
Mitotic Chromosomes ◽  
Organizational Principle ◽  
Mammalian Genomes

We investigated the nuclear higher order compartmentalization of chromatin according to its replication timing (Ferreira et al. 1997) and the relations of this compartmentalization to chromosome structure and the spatial organization of transcription. Our aim was to provide a comprehensive and integrated view on the relations between chromosome structure and functional nuclear architecture. Using different mammalian cell types, we show that distinct higher order compartments whose DNA displays a specific replication timing are stably maintained during all interphase stages. The organizational principle is clonally inherited. We directly demonstrate the presence of polar chromosome territories that align to build up higher order compartments, as previously suggested (Ferreira et al. 1997). Polar chromosome territories display a specific orientation of early and late replicating subregions that correspond to R- or G/C-bands of mitotic chromosomes. Higher order compartments containing G/C-bands replicating during the second half of the S phase display no transcriptional activity detectable by BrUTP pulse labeling and show no evidence of transcriptional competence. Transcriptionally competent and active chromatin is confined to a coherent compartment within the nuclear interior that comprises early replicating R-band sequences. As a whole, the data provide an integrated view on chromosome structure, nuclear higher order compartmentalization, and their relation to the spatial organization of functional nuclear processes.

Alteration of nuclear architecture in male germ cells of chromosomally derived subfertile mice

2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (24) ◽  
pp. 4429-4434
Author(s):  
Silvia Garagna ◽  
Maurizio Zuccotti ◽  
Alan Thornhill ◽  
Raul Fernandez-Donoso ◽  
Soledad Berrios ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sertoli Cells ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Condensed State ◽  
Germ Cell Differentiation ◽  
Y Chromosomes ◽  
Dual Colour ◽  
Pachytene Spermatocytes

The mammalian cell nucleus consists of numerous compartments involved in the regular unfolding of processes such as DNA replication and transcription, RNA maturation, protein synthesis and cell division. Knowledge is increasing of the relationships between high-order levels of chromatin organization and its spatial organization, and of how these relationships contribute to the various functions carried out in the nucleus. We have studied the spatial arrangement of mouse telocentric chromosomes 5, 11, 13, 15, 16 and 17, some of their metacentric Robertsonian derivatives, and X and Y chromosomes by whole chromosome painting in male germ (spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids) and Sertoli cells of homozygous and heterozygous individuals. Using dual-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization we found that these chromosomes occupy specific nuclear territories in each cell type analysed. When chromosomes are present as Robertsonian metacentrics in the heterozygous state, that is, as Robertsonian metacentrics and their homologous telocentrics, differences in their nuclear positions are detectable: heterozygosity regularly produces a change in the nuclear position of one of the two homologous telocentrics in all the cell types studied. In the Robertsonian heterozygotes, the vast majority of the Sertoli cells show the sex chromosomes in a condensed state, whereas they appear decondensed in the Robertsonian homozygotes. As the Robertsonian heterozygosities we studied produce a chromosomally derived impairment of male germ-cell differentiation, we discuss the possibility that changes in chromosome spatial territories may alter some nuclear machinery (e.g., synapsis, differential gene expression) important for the correct unfolding of the meiotic process and for the proper functioning of Sertoli cells.

scholarly journals Gene density and transcription influence the localization of chromatin outside of chromosome territories detectable by FISH

2002 ◽  
Vol 159 (5) ◽  
pp. 753-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola L. Mahy ◽  
Paul E. Perry ◽  
Wendy A. Bickmore
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Gene Density ◽  
Epidermal Differentiation ◽  
Chromosome 1 ◽  
Chromosome Territories ◽  
Chromosome 11 ◽  
Epidermal Differentiation Complex ◽  
High Gene ◽  
Complex Locus

Genes can be transcribed from within chromosome territories; however, the major histocompatibilty complex locus has been reported extending away from chromosome territories, and the incidence of this correlates with transcription from the region. A similar result has been seen for the epidermal differentiation complex region of chromosome 1. These data suggested that chromatin decondensation away from the surface of chromosome territories may result from, and/or may facilitate, transcription of densely packed genes subject to coordinate regulation. To investigate whether localization outside of the visible confines of chromosome territories can also occur for regions that are not coordinately regulated, we have examined the spatial organization of human 11p15.5 and the syntenic region on mouse chromosome 7. This region is gene rich but its genes are not coordinately expressed, rather overall high levels of transcription occur in several cell types. We found that chromatin from 11p15.5 frequently extends away from the chromosome 11 territory. Localization outside of territories was also detected for other regions of high gene density and high levels of transcription. This is shown to be partly dependent on ongoing transcription. We suggest that local gene density and transcription, rather than the activity of individual genes, influences the organization of chromosomes in the nucleus.

Chromatin as an active polymeric material

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-118
Author(s):  
Gautam I. Menon
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Transcriptional Activity ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Nuclear Architecture ◽  
Chromosome Territories ◽  
X Chromosomes ◽  
Equilibrium Processes ◽  
Territorial Organization ◽  
Differential Positioning ◽  
Radial Separation

The patterns of the large-scale spatial organization of chromatin in interphase human somatic cells are not random. Such patterns include the radial separation of euchromatin and heterochromatin, the territorial organization of individual chromosomes, the non-random locations of chromosome territories and the differential positioning of the two X chromosomes in female cells. These features of large-scale nuclear architecture follow naturally from the hypothesis that ATP-consuming non-equilibrium processes associated with highly transcribed regions of chromosomes are a source of ‘active’ forces. These forces are in excess of those that arise from Brownian motion. Simulations of model chromosomes that incorporate such activity recapitulate these features. In addition, they reproduce many other aspects of the spatial organization of chromatin at large scales that are known from experiments. Our results, reviewed here, suggest that the distribution of transcriptional activity across chromosomes underlies many aspects of large-scale nuclear architecture that were hitherto believed to be unrelated.

scholarly journals Spatial organization of active and inactive genes and noncoding DNA within chromosome territories

2002 ◽  
Vol 157 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola L. Mahy ◽  
Paul E. Perry ◽  
Susan Gilchrist ◽  
Richard A. Baldock ◽  
Wendy A. Bickmore
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Wilms Tumor ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Domain Model ◽  
Chromosome Territories ◽  
Noncoding Dna ◽  
Transcription Machinery ◽  
Accessibility Barriers ◽  
High Resolution Analysis ◽  
Genitourinary Anomalies

The position of genes within the nucleus has been correlated with their transcriptional activity. The interchromosome domain model of nuclear organization suggests that genes preferentially locate at the surface of chromosome territories. Conversely, high resolution analysis of chromatin fibers suggests that chromosome territories do not present accessibility barriers to transcription machinery. To clarify the relationship between the organization of chromosome territories and gene expression, we have used fluorescence in situ hybridization to analyze the spatial organization of a contiguous ∼1 Mb stretch of the Wilms' tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, mental retardation syndrome region of the human genome and the syntenic region in the mouse. These regions contain constitutively expressed genes, genes with tissue-restricted patterns of expression, and substantial regions of intergenic DNA. We find that there is a spatial organization within territories that is conserved between mouse and humans: certain sequences do preferentially locate at the periphery of the chromosome territories in both species. However, we do not detect genes necessarily at the periphery of chromosome territories or at the surface of subchromosomal domains. Intraterritory organization is not different among cell types that express different combinations of the genes under study. Our data demonstrate that transcription of both ubiquitous and tissue-restricted genes is not confined to the periphery of chromosome territories, suggesting that the basal transcription machinery and transcription factors can readily gain access to the chromosome interior.

scholarly journals SPIN reveals genome-wide landscape of nuclear compartmentalization

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuchuan Wang ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Ruochi Zhang ◽  
Tom van Schaik ◽  
Liguo Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
K562 Cells ◽  
Replication Timing ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Chromatin Interaction ◽  
Spin States ◽  
Nuclear Speckles ◽  
Genome Spatial Organization ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Nuclear Structures

AbstractChromosomes segregate differentially relative to distinct subnuclear structures, but this genome-wide compartmentalization, pivotal for modulating genome function, remains poorly understood. New genomic mapping methods can reveal chromosome positioning relative to specific nuclear structures. However, computational methods that integrate their results to identify overall intranuclear chromo-some positioning have not yet been developed. We report SPIN, a new method to identify genome-wide nuclear spatial localization patterns. As a proof-of-principle, we use SPIN to integrate nuclear compartment mapping (TSA-seq and DamID) and chromatin interaction data (Hi-C) from K562 cells to identify 10 spatial compartmentalization states genome-wide relative to nuclear speckles, lamina, and nucleoli. These SPIN states show novel patterns of genome spatial organization and their relation to genome function (transcription and replication timing). Comparisons of SPIN states with Hi-C sub-compartments and lamina-associated domains (LADs) from multiple cell types suggest constitutive compartmentalization patterns. By integrating different readouts of higher-order genome organization, SPIN provides critical insights into nuclear spatial and functional compartmentalization.

The influence of fixation on the morphology of mitotic chromosomes

1986 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 536-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel J. J. Dietrich
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Chromosome Structure ◽  
Human Lymphocytes ◽  
Chromosome Morphology ◽  
Mitotic Chromosomes ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
C Banding ◽  
Sister Chromatids

It is well known that there is a strong influence of fixation, i.e., acetic methanol versus formaldehyde, on the chromosome morphology at stages of the first meiotic division. In this study the influence of both these types of fixation on the morphology of mitotic chromosomes was examined in human lymphocytes. After methanol – acetic acid (3:1) fixation, the chromosomes show the "classical" condensed shape in which it is not always possible to recognize the two sister chromatids. These chromosomes are accessible to the conventional G-, R-, and C-banding techniques. After formaldehyde fixation at a relatively high pH, the chromosomes are thinner and longer (two to six times) when compared with chromosomes following methanol – acetic acid fixation. They show a scaffold-like morphology, sometimes with a halo of thin material around it. In all cases the two sister chromatids could be recognized. This chromosome structure could be easily stained with silver, Giemsa, 4,6-diamino-2-phenyl-indole (DAPI), and fluorescein isocyanate isomere 1 (FITC). The results obtained following these stainings gave no indication to any specific chemical composition of a probable central scaffold. The scaffold-like structures were not accessible to G-, R-, or C-banding techniques. The only effect observed following these banding techniques was the disappearance of the halo of thin material around the central scaffold-like structure.Key words: chromosome structure, fixation influence, human lymphocytes.

scholarly journals Neev, a novel long non-coding RNA, is expressed in chaetoblasts during regeneration of Eisenia fetida

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Surendra Singh Patel ◽  
Sanyami Zunjarrao ◽  
Beena Pillai
Keyword(s):  
Eisenia Fetida ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Ventral Side ◽  
Chitin Synthase ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Mirna Sponge ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Temporal Expression Pattern ◽  
Long Non Coding Rna

AbstractEisenia fetida, the common vermicomposting earthworm, shows robust regeneration of posterior segments removed by amputation. During the period of regeneration, the newly formed tissue initially contains only undifferentiated cells but subsequently differentiates into a variety of cell types including muscle, nerve and vasculature. Transcriptomics analysis, reported previously, provided a number of candidate non-coding RNAs that were induced during regeneration. We found that one such long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is expressed in the skin, only at the base of newly formed chaetae. The spatial organization and precise arrangement of the regenerating chaetae and the cells expressing the lncRNA on the ventral side clearly support a model wherein the regenerating tissue contains a zone of growth and cell division at the tip and a zone of differentiation at the site of amputation. The temporal expression pattern of the lncRNA, christened Neev, closely resembled the pattern of chitin synthase genes, implicated in chaetae formation. We found that the lncRNA harbours 49 sites for binding a set of four miRNAs while the Chitin Synthase 8 mRNA comprises 478 sites. The over-representation of shared miRNA sites suggests that lncRNA Neev may act as a miRNA sponge to transiently de-repress chitin synthase 8 during formation of new chaetae in the regenerating segments of Eisenia fetida.Summary statementThe earthworm, Eisenia fetida, regenerates posterior segments following amputation. The transcriptome of the regenerating worm revealed a novel lncRNA, expressed only at the base of regenerating chaetae. We propose that this lncRNA is a miRNA sponge that modulates chitin synthesis.

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