The iconic X-shaped organization of metaphase chromosomes is frequently presented in textbooks and other media. The drawings explain in captivating manner that the majority of genetic information is ...

The structure of how DNA is stored in archaea makes a significant difference to how quickly it evolves, according to a new study by Indiana University researchers. The study, led by molecular ...

For successful cell division, chromosomal DNA needs to be packed into compact rod-shaped structures. Defects in this process can lead to cell death or diseases like cancer. A new study has shown how ...

The principles that govern the organization of genomes, which are needed for an understanding of how chromosomes are packaged and function in eukaryotic cells, could be deciphered if the ...

One of the challenges of working with ancient DNA samples is that damage accumulates over time, breaking up the structure of the double helix into ever smaller fragments. In the samples we’ve worked ...

Scientists at the Macquarie University in Australia worked with an international team of scientists to achieve a major milestone in synthetic biology by completing the creation of the final chromosome ...

The fidelity of chromosome segregation depends on the reorganization of interphase chromatin into compact mitotic chromosomes. This fundamental property of chromatin ensures the equal separation of ...

In early cytological studies chromatids of metaphase chromosomes were suggested to coil into a spiral called chromonema. This assumption was recently supported by chromosomce conformation capture ...