chromatin Hear it!

chromatin Definition

chro·ma·tin (-tin′)

noun

a protoplasmic substance in the nucleus of living cells that readily takes a deep stain: chromatin forms the chromosomes and contains the genes

Etymology: < chroma + -in

chromatin Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • call: The eukaryotic solution to the compaction problem is called chromatin, a complex of DNA and structural proteins.
  • form: Each chromosome is really a very long molecule of DNA wound up and coiled around special proteins to form chromatin.
  • disperse: On the spreads, different states of dispersed chromatin have been revealed.
  • surround: Insulators are DNA elements that defend genes from surrounding chromatin by setting the boundaries of independent chromatin domains.

Adjective modifier

  • condensed: The condensed nucleus fragments into several small round balls of condensed chromatin.
  • open: The existing concept - that open chromatin is an absolute requirement for gene activity - is not supported by this study.
  • inactive: The chromatin diminution is the elimination of an inactive chromatin from a genome.
  • active: This would in effect establish a boundary between inactive condensed chromatin and active open chromatin.

Modifies a noun

  • immunoprecipitation: These experiments will be supported by kinetic analysis of endogenous transcription factor binding by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation.
  • remodeling: Here, we describe a further key role for chromatin remodeling in transcriptional termination.
  • remodeling: A role for chromatin remodeling in transcriptional termination by RNA polymerase II.
  • insulator: Jacqueline is currently supported by the AICR to study the control of DNA methylation by a chromatin insulator.
  • condensation: The study of chromatin condensation is a major focus of our apoptosis studies.
  • modification: It has emerged that they can also silence certain genes by DNA methylation and chromatin modification.

Noun used with modifier

  • order: Paul, A.-L. and Ferl, R.J. ( 1998 ) Higher order chromatin structures in maize and arabidopsis.
  • nm: It is thought that the loops are formed by special DNA-binding proteins that are attached to specific regions of the 30 nm chromatin fiber.