Individual chromosomes as viscoelastic copolymers

Almagro, S., Dimitrov, S., Hirano, T., Vallade, M., Riveline, D. (September 2003) Individual chromosomes as viscoelastic copolymers. Europhysics Letters, 63 (6). pp. 908-914. ISSN 0295-5075

URL: http://iopscience.iop.org/0295-5075/63/6/908/
DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2003-00609-3

Abstract

We report elastic measurements of individual chromosomes observed in vitro. Free fluctuations of shapes show that a chromosome can be seen as a copolymer, exhibiting rigid regions alternating with semi-flexible regions. We characterize this behavior and compare it with known biopolymers. We further show that the inner part of a chromosome exhibits viscoelasticity, as extracted by the loading rate dependence of the stretch modulus. Taken together, these data suggest an organization for the chromosome as a copolymer composed of an inner rigid core exhibiting viscoelasticity surrounded by an elastic soft envelope.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: MITOTIC CHROMOSOMES DNA ELASTICITY MOLECULES PROTEIN FORCE TITIN CONDENSATION NUCLEOSOMES TRANSITIONS
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosome
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosomes, structure and function > chromosome
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosomes, structure and function
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > organelles, types and functions > mitosis
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Hirano lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: September 2003
Date Deposited: 08 Jul 2013 20:54
Last Modified: 08 Jul 2013 20:54
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27847

Actions (login required)

Administrator's edit/view item Administrator's edit/view item
CSHL HomeAbout CSHLResearchEducationNews & FeaturesCampus & Public EventsCareersGiving