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Questions and Answers
What induces a negative supercoil in eukaryotic DNA during chromatin assembly?
What induces a negative supercoil in eukaryotic DNA during chromatin assembly?
What is the length of E.coli's DNA in relation to the size of the cell?
What is the length of E.coli's DNA in relation to the size of the cell?
What occurs to chromosomes during the prophase of mitosis?
What occurs to chromosomes during the prophase of mitosis?
What role do topoisomerases play in the maintenance of eukaryotic DNA structure?
What role do topoisomerases play in the maintenance of eukaryotic DNA structure?
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Which structure organizes the circular chromosome in bacterial DNA?
Which structure organizes the circular chromosome in bacterial DNA?
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How much compaction occurs to fit a DNA molecule of ~105 µm into a 5-10 µm nucleus?
How much compaction occurs to fit a DNA molecule of ~105 µm into a 5-10 µm nucleus?
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What is the term for the area in prokaryotic cells that contains DNA?
What is the term for the area in prokaryotic cells that contains DNA?
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What is the main component of chromatin that makes up eukaryotic chromosomes?
What is the main component of chromatin that makes up eukaryotic chromosomes?
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What happens to the DNA in a looped domain when it is cleaved?
What happens to the DNA in a looped domain when it is cleaved?
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How many loops approximately form from the organization of the E.coli chromosome?
How many loops approximately form from the organization of the E.coli chromosome?
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During which phase do chromatin remain amorphous in non-dividing cells?
During which phase do chromatin remain amorphous in non-dividing cells?
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What happens to sister chromatids during anaphase?
What happens to sister chromatids during anaphase?
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What is a key feature of eukaryotic DNA during the M phase of the cell cycle?
What is a key feature of eukaryotic DNA during the M phase of the cell cycle?
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What are the two main types of DNA supercoiling?
What are the two main types of DNA supercoiling?
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What is the primary action of topoisomerases on DNA?
What is the primary action of topoisomerases on DNA?
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What is the basic structural unit of chromatin?
What is the basic structural unit of chromatin?
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How do histone variants affect chromatin structure?
How do histone variants affect chromatin structure?
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What is the ratio of the length of the human genome to the size of its cellular nucleus?
What is the ratio of the length of the human genome to the size of its cellular nucleus?
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What provides the extreme compaction of DNA within cells?
What provides the extreme compaction of DNA within cells?
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Which of the following is NOT a factor in chromatin remodeling?
Which of the following is NOT a factor in chromatin remodeling?
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What happens to chromatin structure during transcription activation?
What happens to chromatin structure during transcription activation?
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What is the primary role of DNA Topoisomerases?
What is the primary role of DNA Topoisomerases?
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Which statement is true regarding underwound DNA?
Which statement is true regarding underwound DNA?
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What characteristic of Type I topoisomerases sets them apart from Type II?
What characteristic of Type I topoisomerases sets them apart from Type II?
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Why are covalent enzyme-DNA linkages important for topoisomerases?
Why are covalent enzyme-DNA linkages important for topoisomerases?
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In which scenario would Type II topoisomerases be specifically required?
In which scenario would Type II topoisomerases be specifically required?
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How does supercoiling of DNA affect its migration during electrophoresis?
How does supercoiling of DNA affect its migration during electrophoresis?
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What impact does DNA underwinding have on cellular functions?
What impact does DNA underwinding have on cellular functions?
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Which factor contributes to the maintenance of DNA in an underwound state?
Which factor contributes to the maintenance of DNA in an underwound state?
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What constitutes a nucleosome?
What constitutes a nucleosome?
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How many base pairs of DNA are tightly bound around the histone core in a nucleosome?
How many base pairs of DNA are tightly bound around the histone core in a nucleosome?
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What role does Histone H1 serve in the nucleosome structure?
What role does Histone H1 serve in the nucleosome structure?
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What percentage of the DNA surface in nucleosomes remains accessible for interactions with DNA-binding proteins?
What percentage of the DNA surface in nucleosomes remains accessible for interactions with DNA-binding proteins?
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Which part of the histone structure is involved in interacting with the DNA?
Which part of the histone structure is involved in interacting with the DNA?
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What type of proteins are histones classified as?
What type of proteins are histones classified as?
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What structural feature is central to the interaction between histones and DNA?
What structural feature is central to the interaction between histones and DNA?
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What describes the arrangement of chromosomes as they relate to nucleosomes?
What describes the arrangement of chromosomes as they relate to nucleosomes?
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What is the primary role of histones in eukaryotic cells?
What is the primary role of histones in eukaryotic cells?
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Which of the following correctly describes nucleosomes?
Which of the following correctly describes nucleosomes?
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How does chromatin behave under low ion concentrations?
How does chromatin behave under low ion concentrations?
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Which proteins are NOT considered histones?
Which proteins are NOT considered histones?
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What is the function of structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins?
What is the function of structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins?
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Which of the following statements about chromatin is true?
Which of the following statements about chromatin is true?
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What effect does treating chromatin with a nonspecific nuclease have?
What effect does treating chromatin with a nonspecific nuclease have?
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In what form do histones primarily exist when interacting with DNA?
In what form do histones primarily exist when interacting with DNA?
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What do topoisomerases primarily function to do?
What do topoisomerases primarily function to do?
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What percentage of chromatin is composed of histone proteins?
What percentage of chromatin is composed of histone proteins?
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Study Notes
Chromatin Structure
- Chromosomes, the carriers of genetic information, are significantly longer than the cellular or viral packages that contain them.
- DNA molecules are extremely compacted inside cells, but the information in DNA must remain accessible for replication and transcription.
- DNA compaction is achieved through a high degree of structural organization.
- Fundamental to this organization are the neutralization of negative charges in the DNA backbone by cations and polyamines, and supercoiling.
- Supercoiling is a change in the DNA's structure creating additional coils.
DNA Supercoiling
- Define types of DNA supercoiling and explain their significance in biological processes.
- Describe how DNA topoisomerases affect DNA supercoiling. Critically assess the different types of supercoiling.
Chromatin Structure
- Describe the structure of chromatin in detail, from fundamental units to higher-order structures.
- Assess the roles of histone variants and modifications in chromatin structure and gene expression.
Organization of Bacterial DNA
- Bacteria lack nucleosomes, but their DNA is still compacted into a nucleoid, a distinct region within the prokaryotic cell.
- Bacterial DNA is organized into loops that are attached to a chromosomal scaffold.
- The structure of looped DNA domains is dynamically arranged, shifting along the DNA during replication.
Eukaryotic Chromatin Assembly and Organization
- Eukaryotic DNA is underwound compared to the established B-form structure.
- Underwinding is maintained because of the stabilization by proteins and the presence of a closed circle.
- Describe how the binding of histones forms a nucleosome and how this induces negative supercoils and helps organize chromatin.
- Describe how Relaxation of positive supercoils is performed by topoisomerases.
- Explain how histone tails are necessary for dynamic regulation of chromatin structure. Identify different histone variant types.
- Describe the role of nucleosomes in chromatin organization.
- Describe higher-order chromatin structure: chromatin loops, compartments, and chromosome territories and how these structures contribute to the organization of the genome within the nucleus of the cell.
- Assess the importance of SMC proteins (structural maintenance of chromosomes) in higher-order chromatin organization and in different cellular processes.
DNA Topoisomerases
- Topoisomerases are enzymes that alter DNA supercoiling by transiently breaking and rejoining DNA strands.
- Type I topoisomerases break one strand at a time.
- Type II topoisomerases break both strands, allowing the passage of another DNA segment through the break.
- Assess the roles of topoisomerases in different cellular processes, such as replication, transcription and DNA packaging.
- Explain how the activity of topoisomerases can also make them a target for cellular toxins, leading to DNA damage, cell death, and other cellular issues.
Histones
- Histones are proteins that effectively package DNA into nucleosomes.
- Understand the composition of core histones and their role in DNA packaging
- Recognize how histone binding is not random, but rather depends on the abundance of base pairs within different areas of DNA
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Description
This quiz covers key concepts related to DNA structure and function, particularly in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Topics include supercoiling, chromatin assembly, and the organization of DNA within cells. Test your understanding of chromosome behavior during mitosis and the roles of topoisomerases.