Chromosomal organization: mingling with the neighbors

Abstract

Jacob Aten and Roland Kanaar highlight recent advances in understanding the physical organization of chromosomes in the nucleus.

Figure 1. Schematic Illustration of Possible Neighborhood Organization Modes of Chromosomes

A cross-section of part of the nucleus is shown, with the black line representing the nuclear membrane. The green, red, and blue areas indicate three different chromosomes. An interphase chromosome forms a three-dimensional meandering and invaginated territory of (partly) condensed chromatin from which decondensed chromatin fibers extend. Two different modes of organization between neighboring chromosomes are indicated; one on the right between the red and blue chromosomes and the other on the left between the green and the red chromosomes. Domains from the red and blue chromosomes are either separated by interchromatin space or are in touch with no, or little, intermingling of chromatin. By contrast, domains from the green and red chromosomes overlap and their colocalization is indicated in yellow. This figure is based on [ 10].