mol. bio. chapter 35 => DNA and chromosome structure etc. Flashcards
What does chromatins consist of?
A long dsDNA molecule, Histones(basic proteins) of nearly eaqual mass and small amounts of larger acidic non-histone proteins (include enzymes needed for replication, translation, RNA processing&transport and DNA repair). + small amount of RNA.
What is a nucleosome?
An octamer structure with 1,75 turns of dna around it as well as one more histone which acts as a stabilizing agent and interacts with the DNA most.
What does the octamer consist of?
4 core histones 2x H2A and 2x H2B+(H3&H4)x2
When does octamer formation occur?
Under Physiological pH.
Where can the amino terminals of the histones be found?
And why?
The amino-terminal ends extend outside the octamer as the have to be available for posttranslational modifications such as acetylation etc.
How is the octamer formed?
-Initially the H3&H4 form a tetramer containing two molecules of each.
the H3H4 tetramer can confer nucleosome properties on the DNA thus has a central role in nucleosome formation.
-The H2A&H2B forms a Dimer which the joins the tetramer and stabilizes the primary particle and strongly binds to another half turn of DNA which before was bound only loosely to the primary tetramer particle.
Which part of the histone is hydrophobic and which is basic?
2/3ds of the histones carboxyl ends are hydrophobic and 1/3d of the amino is quite basic.
Which are the six types of covalent modifications which the core histones are subjects to?
- Acetylation
- Phosphorylation
- Methylation
- ADP-ribosylation
- Monoubiquitilation
- Sumoylation
What is the acetylation oh histones associated with?
- Acetylation of the H3,H4 histones are associated with the activation or inactivation of gene transcription.
- Acetylation of the ore histones is associated with chromosomal assembly during replication cycle.
What is Phosphorylation associated with in histones?
-Phosphorylation of H1 is associated with the condensation of chromosomes during cell cycle.
What is methylation oh the histones associated with?
Repression of gene expression.
ADP-Ribosylation of Histones is associated with…?
DNA-repair.
Monoubiquitilation of histones is associated with….?
Gene activation, gene repression and heterochromatic gene silencing.
Sumoylation
(SUMO =Small ubiquitin-related modifier)
Associated with transcription repression.
What are linkers?
the DNA parts of roughly 30 bp that separate the core particles.
What are Histone Chaperones?
What is their function?
A group of proteins that exhibit high affinity for histone binding.
- They aid in assembly of nucleosomes which is mediated by one of several nuclear chromatin assembly factors which they help.
- The Chaperones release the Histones as the nucleosome is assembled.
What is Phasing?
What does it depend on?
The non-random distribution of DNA to histones.
=> Some histones appear to favor certain DNA regions.
=> Phasing isn’t fully understood but is thought to depend on:
-Relative Physical flexibility of certain nucleotide sequences to accommodate regions of kinking within the Supercoils.
-The presence of DNA bound factors which limit the sites of nucleosome deposition.
Which are the two higher orders of structure of the chromatin compction?
- The 10 nm fibril.
- The 30nm chromatin fiber.
Which structure is referred to as beans on a string?
The 10nm fibril structure/order.
-It consists nucleosomes arranged with their edges separated by linkers.
How is the 30nm fibers formed?
The 10nm fibrils are further supercoiled into 30nm fibers with 6-7 nucleosomes per turn.
The 30nm fibers seem to be stabilized by the H1 histones.
How is a mitotic chromosome formed?
The 30nm fiber structure must be further condensed or compacted in length another 100-fold.
How compact is an Interphase chromosome.
After having compacted the 30nm fibers 100 fold to get a mitotic chromosome, the structure must be further organized into 30k-100k bp loops or domains which are anchored in a supporting matrix in the nucleus .
How is the DNA within the domains of a chromosome ordered?
Probably not randomly, however we don’t know. It is suggested however that they are organized or grouped after genetic functions. each group containing both coding and non-coding regions of the cognate gene/genes.
What kind of chromatin is transcriptionally inactive?
Heterochromatin.
What kind of chromatin is transcriptionally active?
Euchromatin.
How do our cells differentiate into all different tissues if they contain the same genetic material?
It’s explained by differential expression of the common genetic information through activation and inactivation of genes in chromatin.
How doest the Euchromatin differ from heterochromatin property wise?
- The Euch. which are (potentially- and) transcriptionally seem to have their structures altered
- They contain sensitive sites of about 100k bp which are more sensitive to digestion of nucleases such as DNase I.
- Those regions lack the presence Methyldeoxycytosine MeC, modified nucleotides which are believed to protect the DNA from nucleophilic attack.
- Histones in those regions have ofter undergone, or can be Posttranslationally modified by the six covalent modifications mentioned previously.
Mention them!
-Conatain Hypersensitive sites (within the sensitive sites?).
What are Hypersensitive sites?
What do they result from?
Where are they located?
- Shorter regions of about 100-300 bp’s in length and have another 10 fold greater sensitivity to digestion by DNase (than the sensitive sites).
- They probably result from structural conformations that favor the enzyme accessibility.
- They’re usually located right upstream from the active gene and are free from nucleosomal structures due to the binding of non-histone regulatory transcriptional factors instead.
What leads to the formation of Hy
-Non-histone regulatory proteins involved in both transcription regulation and those involved in accessibility to the template strand.
What are the characteristics of the Heterochromatin?
- More densely packed since inactive.
- Stains more using an electron microscope
- More rich in Mec
- Histones in these regions have a lower level of “activating” covalent modifications and higher level of repressive PTM’s instead.
Which are the two types of heterochromatin?
How do they differ from each other?
-Constitutive Heterochromatin; Heterochromatin that is condensed at all times. Found near chromosomal centromeres and chromosomal ends (Telomers)
=> are always inactive
-Facultative Heterochromatin; Is at times condensed and at times uncondensed, actively transcribed and thus appears like Euchromatin.
Eg. the second Xchromosome during gametogenisis.
What is the structure of the chromosome in Metaphase?
two sisterchromatids connected by a centromere.