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Condensed Interphase Chromatin in Plant and Animal Cell Nuclei: Fundamental Differences

  • Chapter
Genome and Chromatin: Organization, Evolution, Function

Part of the book series: Plant Systematics and Evolution ((SYSTEMATICS,volume 2))

Abstract

In electron micrographs of interphase nuclei of both plants and animals. electron-dense chromatin can be found in variable amounts. Although this condensed chromatin looks alike in all micrographs, it covers at least four different classes of chromatin: constitutive heterochromatin (which can be visualized in plants and animals e.g. by the Giemsa banding technique), facultative heterochromatin (female sex chromatin in mammals), inactivated euchromatin (in animals only), and species-specific condensed euchromatin (in plants only). Care-free interpretation of condensed chromatin as heterochromatin may cause, therefore, much confusion. The possible molecular mechanisms involved in the condensation of the various classes of chromatin, and the suitability of condensed chromatin as marker for differential DNA and RNA synthesis, respectively, are discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, The University, P.O. Box 3049, D-6750, Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany

    Prof. Dr. Walter Nagl

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  1. Prof. Dr. Walter Nagl
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany

    Walter Nagl

  2. Institut für Biologie II, Universität Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    Vera Hemleben

  3. Institut für Botanik, Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria

    Friedrich Ehrendorfer

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© 1979 Springer-Verlag

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Nagl, W. (1979). Condensed Interphase Chromatin in Plant and Animal Cell Nuclei: Fundamental Differences. In: Nagl, W., Hemleben, V., Ehrendorfer, F. (eds) Genome and Chromatin: Organization, Evolution, Function. Plant Systematics and Evolution, vol 2. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-8556-8_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-8556-8_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-8558-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-8556-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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