Chromatin Fibers Are Formed by Heterogeneous Groups of Nucleosomes In Vivo

摘要: Nucleosomes help structure chromosomes by compacting DNA into fibers. To gain insight how nucleosomes are arranged in vivo, we combined quantitative super-resolution nanoscopy with computer simulations to visualize and count along the chromatin fiber single nuclei. assembled heterogeneous groups of varying sizes, here termed "clutches," these were interspersed nucleosome-depleted regions. The median number inside clutches their compaction defined as nucleosome density cell-type-specific. Ground-state pluripotent stem cells had, on average, less dense containing fewer clutch size strongly correlated pluripotency potential induced cells. RNA polymerase II preferentially associated smallest while linker histone H1 heterochromatin enriched largest ones. Our results reveal is formed at nanoscale level link architecture cell state.