Cell shape and architecture are determined by cell-extracellular matrix interactions and have profound effects on cellular behavior, chromatin condensation, and tumor cell resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To evaluate the role of chromatin condensation for radiation cell survival, tumor cells grown in three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures as xenografts and monolayer cell cultures were...

In female mammals, activation of Xist (X-inactive specific transcript) is essential for establishment of X chromosome inactivation. During early embryonic development in mice, paternal Xist is preferentially expressed whereas maternal Xist (Xm-Xist) is silenced. Unlike autosomal imprinted genes, Xist imprinting for Xm-Xist silencing was erased in cloned or parthenogenetic but not fertilized emb...

AIM To evaluate the effects of tamoxifen citrate on gene expression during nuclear chromatin condensation in male rats. METHODS The effects of an oral dose of 0.4 kg/(kg.d) tamoxifen citrate on rates of in vitro chromatin decondensation, acridine orange (AO) dye uptake, concentration of thiol-groups, levels and/or expression of transition proteins 1, 2 (TP1, TP2), protamine 1 (P1), cyclic AMP...

During a proper immune response, quiescent T cells become activated upon antigen presentation to their antigen-specific T cell receptor. This leads to clonal proliferation of only those T cells that bear a receptor that recognizes the antigen. Chromatin decondensation is a hallmark of T cell activation and is required for T cells to acquire the ability to proliferate after antigen engagement. T...

The chromosome territory interchromatin compartment (CT-IC) model argues for a functional organization of the cell nucleus. Chromosome territory (CT) arrangements show profound differences between certain cell types. In the spherically shaped lymphocyte nuclei gene dense CTs are preferentially located in the nuclear interior, while gene poor CTs are preferentially located towards the nuclear pe...

Background: Vitamin E is believed to be the primary component of the antioxidant system in spermatozoa. There is a relationship between activity of these antioxidant and function of sperm. Vitamins E and C which are belong to non-enzymatic antioxidant are used as a supplemented drug to improve sperm quality and male fertility. The present study was carried out to investigate the positive effect...

We here present a modeling study of the chromatin fiber functional organization. Multi-scale modeling is required to unravel the complex interplay between the fiber and the DNA levels. It suggests plausible scenarios, including both physical and biological aspects, for fiber condensation, its targeted decompaction, and transcription regulation. We conclude that a major role of the chromatin fib...

Metabolic rewiring, specifically elevated glycolytic metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Global chromatin structure regulates gene expression, DNA repair, and also affects cancer progression. But the interrelationship between tumor metabolism and chromatin architecture remain unclear. Here we show that increased glycolysis in cancer cells promotes an open chromatin configuration. Using compleme...

Functional links connecting gene transcription and condensin-mediated chromosome condensation have been established in species ranging from prokaryotes to vertebrates. However, the exact nature of these links remains misunderstood. Here we show in fission yeast that the 3' end RNA processing factor Swd2.2, a component of the Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factor (CPF), is a negative regulator of ...