A view on the structural-functional organization of eukaryotic chromosomes: once again about chromomeres

摘要

The problem of structural and functional units of eukaryotic chromosomes is considered. The results of our studies of elementary chromomeres having the rosettelike organization are summarized. According to our data, the rosettelik structures are the universal chromosomal substructures of animal somatic and meiotic cells. Chromosomal domains of transcriptionally inactive genes are organized as the rosettelike structures. The mechanism underlying the formation of rosettelike chromatin structures is discussed, including the specific DNA-protein interaction and the participation of noncanonical DNA forms.