Berlin 2012 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 13: DNA/RNA and Related Enzymes
BP 13.9: Talk
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 12:00–12:15, H 1058
Towards chromatin mimics: DNA self-assembly with linker histone H1 - a combined study of X-rays and microfluidics — •Adriana Cristina Toma1, Rolf Dootz2, and Thomas Pfohl1, 2 — 1Chemistry Department, University Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, Basel, Switzerland — 2Max Planck Institute of Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
Inspired by the nature of DNA packing we have investigated how linker histone H1influence the local structures of the formed DNA self-assemblies. Despite the key role of the linker-histone H1 in chromatin dynamics, its interactions with nucleosomal DNA are not fully understood. We have used the combination of in situ microfluidics and small angle X-ray microdiffraction in order to analyze the real-time dynamics and structural evolution of assemblies resulted from the binding of linker-histones H1 to DNA. Our results indicate that the mechanism of H1 interactions with DNA is a two-step process: at first H1 binds non-specifically to DNA and secondly the protein molecules rearrange inside the formed self-assemblies, distorting the columnar phase of DNA.