Posted on 11/19/2020 12:39:48 PM PST by Red Badger
If you've ever studied any chemistry or biology, there's a very good chance you've come across the common pictorial representation of what a chromosome is supposed to look like.
As millions of high-schoolers and undergraduates will attest, it's a tall, narrow X-shape - visualising what two joined chromatids look like after DNA replication takes place, but before cell division is complete, at which point they've separated to become their own individual chromosomes.
Unfortunately, there's a small problem with this ubiquitous symbol, scientists say, at least in terms of how accurate its depiction is.
"For 90 percent of the time, chromosomes don't exist like that," says physician-scientist Jun-Han Su, formerly of Harvard University.
In a study published this year, Su and his team devised a new way of imaging the 3D organisation of the chromatin in human cells, giving us a much more meticulous understanding of chromosome chemistry than the iconic X ever could.
010 chromosome 1
(Xiaowei Zhuang lab)
Above: Multi-coloured image of chromatin, using multiplexed fluorescence in situ hybridisation and super-resolution microscopy.
=========================================================================
"It's quite important to determine the 3D organisation," says senior researcher Xiaowei Zhuang, "to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the organisation and to also understand how this organisation regulates genome function."
Using a new high-resolution 3D imaging system – which involved joining together multiple snapshots of genomic loci along DNA chains – the researchers were able to visualise chromosomes up close in a way that's never been seen before, and even glimpse aspects of transcription activity.
High school and CHEM101 will never be the same. The team is sharing their data online so other researchers can take their analysis further, and so we can explore this (almost) invisible part of ourselves even more in the future.
"We envision broad application of this high-throughput, multi-scale, and multi-modal imaging technology, which provides an integrated view of chromatin organisation in its native structural and functional context," the team explains.
The findings are reported in Cell.
So complicated it must have happened by accident! /s
Psalm 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
No one ever thought they literally look like the X’s used to illustrate mitotic events.
Man, you just ruined a year of high school science and eight hours of college biology courses for me. Happy?
Male, female and undecided? LOL!
I just call it purdy.
Take your favorite drab aunt with big hair.
Color the hair in wild and various colors... red, pink, purple, orange...
That is what the scientists have done here.
The reality would be far, far more drab color wise !
So complicated it must have happened by accident! /s
—————_____________-———————
Billions and billions of years, primordial goo /s
A product of evolution, or a Creator? On the 4.5 billionth year, evolution rested? No. It took God 4.5 billion years? No. Six days seems right. If you’re going to create, create.
Looks more like Jackson Pollack to me.
That first one looks like the thing I clean my blinds with.
You can clean those things?
oddly enough that is exactly how i envisioned it- ok ok i lied
A damaged Jagaroth space craft with damaged engines trying to use warp drive.
Why does it have a blue and purple headdress, a blue horse face and an orange butt?
exactly.
We have all seen accidents like that. Happens every day.
They call them accidents, we call them miracles
To be an Atheist is to believe in the ultimate something from nothing philosophy.
Mardi Gras?....................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.