Objective During the last few years great interest has been shown in the evaluation of the role of chromatin structural domains at the level of gene expression regulation. These domains are referred to as large-scale chromatin organisation and each of these domains can exhibit different levels of chromatin folding. It is now accepted that the folding/unfolding of chromatin fibre between its different levels of organisation is strictly related to the cell functioning and therefore to the gene expression regulation. These topological domains can be studied either in situ or in vitro (on isolated chromatin). At the level of isolated chromatin this project will evaluate the length of the topological domains (by electrophoresis) and the diameter and gyration radius of the fibres forming the domain (by X-ray and light scattering). Integrative information will be obtained by means of differential scanning calorimetry and by a new biophysical tool using the circular intensity differential scattering. Information on the 3D distribution of the chromatin domains inside the nucleus will be obtained by in situ experiments through fluorescence computational optical sectioning microscopy and complementary information can be obtained by different techniques such as confocal and electron microscopy. In connection with these structural studies it will be interesting to analyse the DNA supercoiling of the chromatin domains while, with regard to the cell function aspects, the level of gene expression will be evaluated by measuring the mRNA amount. The possible effect of transcription inactivation and long-distance interactions at the level of chromatin organisation can be analysed for the study of the structure/function relationship. At last the association between non-histonic proteins and chromatin-DNA will be observed in order to evaluate their role in maintaining the activity of some specific genome regions. DNA protein cross-linking and nuclease tests, methods of protein image and immunoaffinic isolation of DNA-specific protein complexes will be carried out for the study of the structure of functioning chromatin and the regulation of its activity. Programme(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Topic(s) 42 - Physical Chemical Biology Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Università di Genova EU contribution No data Address Via Giotto 2 16153 Sestri Ponete Genova Italy See on map Total cost No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all BBSRC Babraham Institute United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Babraham Hall CB2 4AT Cambridge See on map Total cost No data Russian Academy of Sciences Russia EU contribution No data Address 117984 Moscow See on map Total cost No data Russian Academy of Sciences Russia EU contribution No data Address 117333 Moscow See on map Total cost No data Russian Academy of Sciences Russia EU contribution No data Address 117334 Moscow See on map Total cost No data
