JCB logo
amgmicro.com
  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 516K)
Right arrow PPT slides of all figures
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new content in the JCB
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Verschure, P. J.
Right arrow Articles by van Driel, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Verschure, P. J.
Right arrow Articles by van Driel, R.
Right arrowPubmed/NCBI databases
*Compound via MeSH
*Substance via MeSH
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

© The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525/1999//13 $5.00
The Journal of Cell Biology, Volume 147, Number 1, , 1999 13-24

Original Article

Spatial Relationship between Transcription Sites and Chromosome Territories



Pernette J. Verschurea, Ineke van der Kraana, Erik M.M. Mandersa, and Roel van Driela

a E.C. Slater Instituut, BioCentrum Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E.C. Slater Instituut, BioCentrum Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.020-5255124020-5255151

a311pjvx{at}chem.uva.nl

We have investigated the spatial relationship between transcription sites and chromosome territories in the interphase nucleus of human female fibroblasts. Immunolabeling of nascent RNA was combined with visualization of chromosome territories by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Transcription sites were found scattered throughout the territory of one of the two X chromosomes, most likely the active X chromosome, and that of both territories of chromosome 19. The other X chromosome territory, probably the inactive X chromosome, was devoid of transcription sites. A distinct substructure was observed in interphase chromosome territories. Intensely labeled subchromosomal domains are surrounded by less strongly labeled areas. The intensely labeled domains had a diameter in the range of 300–450 nm and were sometimes interconnected, forming thread-like structures. Similar large scale chromatin structures were observed in HeLa cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged histone H2B. Strikingly, nascent RNA was almost exclusively found in the interchromatin areas in chromosome territories and in between strongly GFP-labeled chromatin domains. These observations support a model in which transcriptionally active chromatin in chromosome territories is markedly compartmentalized. Active loci are located predominantly at or near the surface of compact chromatin domains, depositing newly synthesized RNA directly into the interchromatin space.

Key Words: chromosome territory • transcription sites • nuclear organization • chromatin structure • fluorescent in situ hybridization

© 1999 The Rockefeller University Press

1.used in this paper: 3-D, three dimensional; BrUTP, 5-bromouridine 5'-triphosphate; FISH, fluorescent in situ hybridization; GFP, green fluorescent protein; Xa, active X chromosome; Xi, inactive X chromosome


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?




  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents