DNA packing and genetics Flashcards
what do methyltransferase enzymes?
theyre enzymes that methylate DNA
the ensure methylation patterns are kept as the divide
what is De Novo methylation?
it allows methylation patterns during development
what is a nucleosome?
a singular histone protein with DNA wrapped around it
what do hostone proteins do?
they allow the DNA to wrap around them to make it smaller
what is chromatin?
it is the overall DNA/histone octamer complex
what is an octamer?
its 4 nucleosomes
what is euchromatin?
its loosely packed chromatin with genes added and its often active under transcription
what is heterochromatin?
it’s a tightly packed form of chromatin and is generally inactive and inaccessible to RNA polymerases
what is the chromatin state regulated by?
methylation and acetylation of histones
they have different modifications to affect how tightly the DNA is packed
what are epigenetic changes linked to? and why?
cancer and other diseases because the DNA is more easily damaged
