Question

Describe how the arrangements and compositions of nucleosomes may result in a closed conformation that prevents gene transcription.

Answer 1

Nucleosomes are the histone proteins that bind the DNA around them in a spiral manner. The histone protein is an octamer which has many modifications on its surface. The DNA being negatively charged and is attracted to the positive histone proteins. The histone proteins are methylated due to which more positive charge is on histones and the DNA is tightly bound to the histones leaving no sites for the transcription proteins to come and bind to it. Due to this tight binding of the DNA with the histone protein, the heterochromatin structures results and also this conformation prevents gene transcription.

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