Special issue published for the:
14th International Chromosome Conference.
September 4-8, 2001, Würzburg, Germany.
Editors: Michael Schmid, Würzburg; Harold P. Klinger, New York, N.Y.

Minireview

Re-defining the chromatin loop domain
H.H.Q. Heng^a,b,c, S.A. Krawetz^a,d, W. Lu^a, S. Bremer^a, G. Liu^a, C.J. Ye<sup>e

a</sup>Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics,
^bDepartment of Pathology,
^cKarmanos Cancer Institute,
^dDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit MI (USA);
^eSeeDNA Biotech Inc, Windsor, Ontario (Canada)

Address of Corresponding Author

Cytogenet Cell Genet 2001;93:155-161 (DOI: 10.1159/000056977)

  Abstract.

It is commonly accepted that the loop domain represents the basic structural unit of eukaryotic chromatin associated with DNA replication, gene expression and higher order packaging. However, molecular-cytological information defining the loop domain is lacking. There are gaps in our knowledge of the loop structure and how it regulates gene expression. The combination of new data/reagents from the Human Genome Project plus the use of novel molecular cytological technology will provide answers. Here we briefly review the status of chromatin loop research and pose questions that need to be addressed. New experimental systems are also presented to target some long-standing issues regarding the structure and function of the chromatin loop domain and its relationship with the nuclear matrix. This new knowledge will have a profound impact for modern genetics and molecular medicine.    

Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Request reprints from Henry H.Q. Heng, Center for Molecular Medicine andGenetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine,5115 Biological Science Building, 5047 Gullen Mall, Detroit MI 48202 (USA);telephone: 313-577-9544; fax: 313-577-6200;e-mail: hheng@cmb.biosci.wayne.edu

  Article Information

This work was supported by a start-up fund for H.H. from the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine. Additional support was provided from NIH grant HD36512 to S.A.K., and a special fund from SeeDNA to C.J.Y.

Received: Received 15 May 2001;
manuscript accepted 14 June 2001.
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 70