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Heterochromatin in interphase nuclei of Arabidopsis thaliana

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Abstract

The eukaryotic nucleus represents a complex arrangement of heterochromatic and euchromatic domains, each with their specific nuclear functions. Somatic cells of a multicellular organism are genetically identical, yet they may differ completely in nuclear organization and gene expression patterns. Stable changes in gene expression without modifying the sequence are the result of epigenetic changes and include covalent modifications in cytosine residues of DNA and in histone tails giving rise to altered chromatin protein complexes, remodeling of chromatin and changes in chromatin compaction. Large-scale differences in chromatin structure are visible at the microscopic level as euchromatin and heterochromatin. Arabidopsis thaliana chromosomes display a relatively simple distribution of euchromatic and heterochromatic segments overlapping with gene-rich and repeat-rich regions, respectively. Recently, we have shown that Arabidopsis provides a well-defined system to study individual chromosomes and chromatin domains in interphase nuclei as well as the relationship between chromatin condensation and epigenetic mechanisms of gene silencing. This overview focuses on the organization and composition of heterochromatin in Arabidopsis nuclei.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1090 GB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    P. Fransz

  2. Department of Cytogenetics, Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), D06466, Gatersleben, Germany

    W. Soppe

  3. Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829, Köln, Germany

    W. Soppe & I. Schubert

Authors
  1. P. Fransz
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  2. W. Soppe
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  3. I. Schubert
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Fransz, P., Soppe, W. & Schubert, I. Heterochromatin in interphase nuclei of Arabidopsis thaliana . Chromosome Res 11, 227–240 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022835825899

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