Centric heterochromatin, a variety of heterochromatin, is a tightly packed form of DNA. Centric heterochromatin is a constituent in the formation of active centromeres in most higher-order organisms; the domain exists on both mitotic and interphase chromosomes. [1]
Heterochromatin is a tightly packed form of DNA or condensed DNA, which comes in multiple varieties. These varieties lie on a continuum between the two extremes of constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin. Both play a role in the expression of genes. Because it is tightly packed, it was thought to be inaccessible to polymerases and therefore not transcribed, however according to Volpe et al. (2002), and many other papers since, much of this DNA is in fact transcribed, but it is continuously turned over via RNA-induced transcriptional silencing (RITS). Recent studies with electron microscopy and OsO4 staining reveal that the dense packing is not due to the chromatin.
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids; alongside proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), nucleic acids are one of the four major types of macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life.
Interphase is the phase of the cell cycle in which a typical cell spends most of its life. During this phase, the cell copies its DNA in preparation for mitosis. Interphase is the 'daily living' or metabolic phase of the cell, in which the cell obtains nutrients and metabolizes them, grows, reads its DNA, and conducts other "normal" cell functions. The majority of eukaryotic cells spend most of their time in interphase. This phase was formerly called the resting phase. However, interphase does not describe a cell that is merely resting; rather, the cell is living, and preparing for later cell division, so the name was changed. A common misconception is that interphase is the first stage of mitosis. However, since mitosis is the division of the nucleus, prophase is actually the first stage.
Centric heterochromatin is usually formed on alpha satellite DNA in humans; however, there have been cases where centric heterochromatin and centromeres have formed on originally euchromatin domains lacking alpha satellite DNA; this usually happens as a result of a chromosome breakage event and the formed centromere is called a neocentromere . [1]
Euchromatin is a lightly packed form of chromatin that is enriched in genes, and is often under active transcription. Euchromatin comprises the most active portion of the genome within the cell nucleus. 92% of the human genome is euchromatic.
Neocentromeres are new centromeres that form at a place on the chromosome that is usually not centromeric. They typically arise due to disruption of the normal centromere. These neocentromeres should not be confused with “knobs”, which were also described as “neocentromeres” in maize in the 1950s. Unlike most normal centromeres, neocentromeres do not contain satellite sequences that are highly repetitive but instead consist of unique sequences. Despite this, most neocentromeres are still able to carry out the functions of normal centromeres in regulating chromosome segregation and inheritance. This raises many questions on what is necessary versus what is sufficient for constituting a centromere.
Centric heterochromatin domains are flanked by pericentric heterochromatin. [1]
