Stretching chromatin promotes transcription

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe Whether chromatin stretching and decondensing by physiological forces affects gene expression is unclear. Tajik _et al_. used 3D magnetic

twisting cytometry to apply force to chromatin in Chinese hamster ovary cells carrying a genomic insertion of an array of _DHFR_ genes. Each _DHFR_ gene contained _lac_-operator repeats

that, when bound by GFP–lac repressors, enabled visualization of chromatin stretching as increased distance between GFP spots. Applying local shear stresses to focal adhesions on the cell

surface induced chromatin stretching, depending on the angle (directionality) of the force. Chromatin stretching induced _DHFR_ expression within seconds, measured by mRNA FISH, as well as

the expression of a tested endogenous gene. Force transmission to chromatin depended on cytoskeletal tension, the LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex and the nuclear

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are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * Tajik, A. et al.

Transcription upregulation via force-induced direct stretching of chromatin. _Nat. Mater._ http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat4729 (2016) Download references Authors * Eytan Zlotorynski View

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Stretching chromatin promotes transcription. _Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol_ 17, 610 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm.2016.130 Download citation * Published: 21 September 2016 * Issue Date:

October 2016 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm.2016.130 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable

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