Multiplexing genetic and nucleosome positioning codes: A computational approach

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Behrouz Eslami-Mossallam - , Leiden University, Delft University of Technology (Author)
  • Raoul D. Schram - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Marco Tompitak - , Leiden University (Author)
  • John Van Noort - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Helmut Schiessel - , Leiden University (Author)

Abstract

Eukaryotic DNA is strongly bent inside fundamental packaging units: the nucleosomes. It is known that their positions are strongly influenced by the mechanical properties of the underlying DNA sequence. Here we discuss the possibility that these mechanical properties and the concomitant nucleosome positions are not just a side product of the given DNA sequence, e.g. that of the genes, but that a mechanical evolution of DNA molecules might have taken place. We first demonstrate the possibility of multiplexing classical and mechanical genetic information using a computational nucleosome model. In a second step we give evidence for genome-wide multiplexing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosacharomyces pombe. This suggests that the exact positions of nucleosomes play crucial roles in chromatin function.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0156905
JournalPloS one
Volume11
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2016
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 27272176