ARTICLES
Cell Research (1997)7:143-150
© 1997 SIBS, CAS All rights reserved 1001-0602/97
Visualization of chromatin folding patterns in chicken erythrocytes
by atomic force microscopy (AFM)
Qian RL, Liu ZX, Zhou MY, Xie HY, Jiang C, Yan ZJ, Li MQ, Zhang Y, Hu J.
Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
China.
Correspondence:
Qian RL
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Qian RL
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The organization of the higher order structure of chromatin in chicken erythrocytes
has been examined with tapping-mode scanning force microscopy under conditions
close to their native environment. Reproducible high-resolution AFM images
of chromatin compaction at several levels can be demonstrated. An extended
beads-on-astring (width of approximately 15-20 nm, height of approximately
2-3 nm for each individual nucleosome) can be consistently observed. Furthermore,
superbeads (width of approximately 40 nm, height of approximately 7 nm)
are demonstrated. Visualization of the solenoid conformation at the level
of 30 nm chromatin fiber is attained either by using AFM or by using electron
microscopy. In addition, tightly coiled chromatin fibers (approximately
50-60 nm and approximately 90-110 nm) can be revealed. Our data suggest
that the chromatin in the interphase nucleus of chicken erythrocyte represents
a high-order conformation and AFM provides useful high-resolution structural
information concerning the folding pattern of interphase chromatin fibers.
Keywords : The
chromatin folding pattern, chicken erythrocyte, atomic force microscopy. |
