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PMID: 19359359 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Non-specific interactions are sufficient to explain the position of heterochromatic chromocenters and nucleoli in interphase nuclei.

Nucleic acids research ·Vol. 37 ·No. 11 ·2009-06-00 ·Pages 3558-68

de Nooijer S, Wellink J, Mulder B, Bisseling T

Abstract

The organization of the eukaryote nucleus into functional compartments arises by self-organization both through specific protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions and non-specific interactions that lead to entropic effects, such as e.g. depletion attraction. While many specific interactions have so far been demonstrated, the contributions of non-specific interactions are still unclear. We used coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of previously published models for Arabidopsis thaliana chromatin organization to show that non-specific interactions can explain the in vivo localization of nucleoli and chromocenters. Also, we quantitatively demonstrate that chromatin looping contributes to the formation of chromosome territories. Our results are consistent with the previously published Rosette model for Arabidopsis chromatin organization and suggest that chromocenter-associated loops play a role in suppressing chromocenter clustering.

MeSH Terms
Arabidopsis/genetics Cell Nucleolus/chemistry Cell Nucleus/genetics Chromosomes, Plant/chemistry Computer Simulation Heterochromatin/chemistry Interphase/genetics Models, Molecular
Chemicals
Heterochromatin
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
de Nooijer S
Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, Drovendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB Wageningen, Netherlands.
Wellink J
Mulder B
Bisseling T
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Article Info
Journal
Nucleic acids research
Abbr.
Nucleic Acids Res
ISSN
1362-4962
DOI
10.1093/nar/gkp219
Published
2009-06-00
Epub
2009-00-09
Pages
3558-68
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
0411011
PMCID
PMC2699506
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp219 PMC Full Text View journal details
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