spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nicolini, C.
Right arrow Articles by Patrone, E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nicolini, C.
Right arrow Articles by Patrone, E.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 62, Issue 1 103-115, Copyright © 1983 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Higher-order structure of chromatin from resting cells. II. High-resolution computer analysis of native chromatin fibres and freeze-etching of nuclei from rat liver cells

C Nicolini, B Cavazza, V Trefiletti, F Pioli, F Beltrame, G Brambilla, N Maraldi and E Patrone

Non-destructive electron microscopy of native chromatin from rat liver nuclei reveals that the 30 nm fibre is formed of four 11 nm nucleofilaments, arranged in a coiled-coil (or rope-like) conformation. At low ionic strength, native fibres show an alternating pattern of compact and unwound regions. Freeze-etching experiments carried out on the same nuclei are compatible with the existence of periodic attachments of the fibres to the nuclear envelope near the pores in a regular, drapery-like fashion. For the first time, computer image analysis has been applied to electron micrographs of giant chromatin fibres and a few essential geometrical parameters characterizing the conformation of the higher-order structures have been determined. No significant difference has been found between calf thymus and rat liver chromatin.




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1983