The investigations were performed at the Penn State Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, a multidisciplinary center focused on understanding the molecular basis for how genes are turned off and on in our bodies. "For years, the research community has been at an impasse," said Frank Pugh, Director of the center and the Willaman Professor in Molecular Biology at Penn State. "We were limited to only speculating how cellular proteins might bind the nucleosome. Now, with this structure, we are one step closer to understanding how cells read chromatin to regulate gene expression."
After nearly a decade of working to this goal, Tan and his team are excited to see the intricate interactions between a chromatin protein and the nucleosome. They are, however, even more enthusiastic about future prospects. "Our goal now is to determine the structures of other biologically and medically important chromatin enzymes bound to the nucleosome," said Tan. "We anticipate such studies will explain fundamental genetic processes and provide the basis for new therapeutics against human diseases such as cancer."
Scientists at Penn State University have created the first 3-D picture of genetic processes that happen inside every cell of our bodies. The picture is the first-ever image of a protein interacting with DNA in its tightly packed "nucleosome" form. The research, which reveals new information about genetic processes, is expected to aid future investigations into diseases such as cancer. This 3-D animation illustrates the RCC1 chromatin protein interacting with the nucleosome.
(Photo Credit: Song Tan laboratory, Penn State University)
Scientists at Penn State University have created the first 3-D picture of genetic processes that happen inside every cell of our bodies. The picture is the first-ever image of a protein interacting with DNA in its tightly packed "nucleosome" form. The research, which reveals new information about genetic processes, is expected to aid future investigations into diseases such as cancer. This 2-D image illustrates the RCC1 chromatin protein interacting with the nucleosome.
(Photo Credit: Song Tan lboratory, Penn State University)
Source: Penn State