Chromatin is partitioned on multiple length scales into subcompartments that differ from
each other with respect to their molecular composition and biological function. It is a key …

Genomes are more than linear sequences. In vivo they exist as elaborate physical
structures, and their functional properties are strongly determined by their cellular …

Cellular structures are shaped by hydrogen and ionic bonds, plus van der Waals and
hydrophobic forces. In cells crowded with macromolecules, a little-known and distinct force …

Chromosomes have a complex architecture in the cell nucleus, which serves vital functional
purposes, yet its structure and folding mechanisms remain still incompletely understood …

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to model proteins that diffuse to DNA, bind, and
dissociate; in the absence of any explicit interaction between proteins, or between …

All eukaryotic cells contain four RNA polymerases originally defined by their sensitivity to
different drugs, and now by the sets of genes they transcribe. 1− 4 Polymerase I produces …

Biophysicists are modeling conformations of interphase chromosomes, often basing the
strengths of interactions between segments distant on the genetic map on contact …

In this review, we provide an organized summary of the theoretical and computational
results that are available for polymers subject to spatial or topological constraints. Because …

Fidelity during chromosome segregation is essential to prevent aneuploidy. The proteins
and chromatin at the centromere form a unique site for kinetochore attachment and allow the …

A model for all genomes involving one major architectural motif is presented: DNA or
chromatin loops are tethered to “factories” through the transcription machinery—a …