Biology / Unit 4 Bio 0837 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Chromatin Compaction, Overview
Captions available
The idea
Chromatin compaction is the multistep folding of DNA into an increasingly compact chromosome, needed because a cell's total DNA vastly exceeds its nucleus in length.
In practice
The DNA in one human cell's 46 chromosomes stretches roughly two meters end-to-end, yet fits in a nucleus micrometers across.
Where people slip
DNA folds compactly at rest but stays accessible for genes to be read.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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